No one should die of cervical cancer – State

IT is unacceptable for the country to continue recording cervical cancer deaths among women when the disease is treatable and preventable, Government has said.North-western Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Chihili, said Government had put up interventions to reduce incidence rate for cervical cancer through vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) for girls between 14 and 15 years.He noted that cervical cancer has an incidence rate of 58 per 100,000 women and mortality rate of 36.2 per 100,000 women.Mr Chihili was speaking in Mushindamo yesterday during the launch of the cervical cancer screening equipment and an incinerator.He however expressed happiness that the district which was only a screening outreach site for Solwezi General Hospital would henceforth be conducting screening with its equipment donated by JSI-SAFE.“Mushindamo district was only a screening outreach site for Solwezi General Hospital from June 11 2019 until July 21, 2020 when cervical cancer screening equipment was donated to St. Dorothy rural health centre by a cooperating partner called JSI-SAFE,” he said.The items donated included a desktop monitor, four laptops, four cameras and other accessories all valued at about K157,000.Mr Chihili indicated that since the installation of equipment 718 women had been screened for cervical cancer with one positive case.He has since appealed for expansion of cervical cancer screening centres as the rural health centre at St Dorothy was not enough to canter for the growing number of women.“Mushindamo district has a total of over 17,600 women of child bearing age who are potentially expected to be accessing cervical cancer screening regularly,” he said.Four sets of cervical cancer screening facilities donated would be stationed at Mapunga and Mushindamo rural health centres.Mr Chihili was hopeful that the current intervention would increase the number of women going for screening and treatment of cervical cancer.The Deputy Permanent Secretary also commissioned the incinerator that was constructed by Ministry of Health at St. Dorothy.He said the incinerator was an important component at a health facility as it was used to dispose of medical or clinical waste safely.“The waste can be infectious and dangerous and therefore, should be disposed of safely without causing harm in line with infection prevention and control measures.The construction of an incinerator was valued at about K95,000Meanwhile, Mushindamo District Health Director, Edgar Mutimushi, was happy that Government and its cooperating partners provided the facilities in the district.Dr Mutimushi said the equipment comes at a time when there was massive cervical cancer sensitization which had seen many women turn up for the screening at St. Dorothy rural health facility.“We are delighted and grateful for the cervical cancer screening equipment we have received and also for the incinerator which will help us dispose of clinical waste in a safer environment,” he said.And Headman Kazembe of Senior Chief Kalilele’s chiefdom commended Government for considering women among beneficiaries of various developmental programmes.Headman Kazembe said it was evident that Government was working as could be seen in Mushindamo district where mini hospitals would be constructed for the locals.He said the screening equipment would enable more women access health services and reduce on transportation costs they incurred travelling to Solwezi and Kasempa.“Way back, our women who needed to be screened for cervical cancer were referred either to Solwezi General Hospital or Mukinge Mission Hospital in Kasempa, but we are happy that they will not need to leave the district for such services,” he said. The Sun