News / Local
Bulawayo Hospital offers free cancer checks
26 Jan 2012 at 06:18hrs | Views
UNITED Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) has included the testing of cancer as part of their health programme, which has been operating annually under the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.
The health programme has over the past years tested pregnant women for HIV to prevent mother-to-child transmission, checked blood pressure and counselled pregnant women.
A gynaecologist at the maternity ward of the hospital said the services were free of charge and women were encouraged to come for cancer checks since the death toll due to cancer was on the rise.
"We offer these services free of charge and a number of women have been mobilised since we embarked on this programme. Statistics show that at least 7 000 women have so far made it to UBH for cancer checks. We still encourage other women to brace up and get tested," said Sister Tafadzwa Chimwaza.
"We have realised that most women out there are suffering from cancer and as long as they are not tested for this non-communicable disease, many will continue to suffer in silence thinking that it is possibly a minor backache or probably nothing serious. Some are even left to think that they are HIV positive and are then afraid of stigmatisation," she said.
Despite the fact that the programme has proven to be a commendable initiative, the hospital authorities are still facing challenges such as a lack of resources, which include machinery, accommodative infrastructure and sterilising machines.
"I would like to thank the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and United Nations Population Fund for their unwavering support. They stood by us in times of need. We, however, still face challenges especially in terms of sourcing resources so as to complete infrastructure and get more machinery," said Sister Chimwaza.
Sister Chimwaza said most women who benefited from the programme informed their friends and relatives about the programme hence the huge response.
She said in future they would use the media to raise awareness about the programme.
"At first we just targeted a group of women who were at the clinic and they told their friends and relatives about the programme.
"The number of people who turned up was remarkable. Now I am thinking of the possibility of using various media to disseminate information about the programme.
"This would mean that there would be wide coverage that would cater for women in rural areas," said the nurse.
The health programme has over the past years tested pregnant women for HIV to prevent mother-to-child transmission, checked blood pressure and counselled pregnant women.
A gynaecologist at the maternity ward of the hospital said the services were free of charge and women were encouraged to come for cancer checks since the death toll due to cancer was on the rise.
"We offer these services free of charge and a number of women have been mobilised since we embarked on this programme. Statistics show that at least 7 000 women have so far made it to UBH for cancer checks. We still encourage other women to brace up and get tested," said Sister Tafadzwa Chimwaza.
"We have realised that most women out there are suffering from cancer and as long as they are not tested for this non-communicable disease, many will continue to suffer in silence thinking that it is possibly a minor backache or probably nothing serious. Some are even left to think that they are HIV positive and are then afraid of stigmatisation," she said.
Despite the fact that the programme has proven to be a commendable initiative, the hospital authorities are still facing challenges such as a lack of resources, which include machinery, accommodative infrastructure and sterilising machines.
Sister Chimwaza said most women who benefited from the programme informed their friends and relatives about the programme hence the huge response.
She said in future they would use the media to raise awareness about the programme.
"At first we just targeted a group of women who were at the clinic and they told their friends and relatives about the programme.
"The number of people who turned up was remarkable. Now I am thinking of the possibility of using various media to disseminate information about the programme.
"This would mean that there would be wide coverage that would cater for women in rural areas," said the nurse.
Source - TC
