Africa-Press – Eswatini. Over 450 people attended a cancer sensitisation exercise conducted by the ministry of health in two communities over the weekend.
Health Promotion Officer (HPO) Neliswa Dladla said the aim of these exercises was to close the gap in cancer care by engaging men.
She said over 150 people attended at Thunzini community, while about 300 were from Ngomane community in the Lubombo region.
Dladla said the exercise was a continuation of this year’s commemoration of the World Cancer Day. She said working with the Eswatini National Cancer Control Unit, they continued to raise awareness about cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.
“The primary goal of the day was to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer. It also provides an opportunity to rally the international community to end the injustice of preventable suffering from cancer,” she said.
She said this was in line with this year’s theme of ‘closing the gap in cancer care, involving males’, which she said resonated deeply with their shared responsibility to ensure comprehensive healthcare for all.
Dladla said their focus was on eliminating the difference in access to cancer care services faced by populations of various groups in the country.
“Closing the gap involves fostering awareness about male-specific cancers, advocating for preventive measures, and enhancing early detection initiatives. By actively involving males in the conversation, we empower them to prioritise their health and seek timely medical intervention when needed.
“It is a call to action for collaboration between healthcare providers, policymakers, and communities to create an environment where everyone has access to quality cancer care,” he said.
Adding, she said more people were now educated more about cancer than ever before through investing in research and innovation, thus witnessing extra-ordinary breakthroughs in medicine, diagnostics and scientific knowledge.
She said the more knowledgeable people were, the more progress in reducing risk factors, prevention and improving cancer diagnosis, prevention, treatment and care.
“We recognise the power of working together and know that every single one of us has the ability to make a difference, big or small.
We believe that together, we can make real progress in reducing the global impact of cancer and we call on everyone to play a part in creating a cancer-free world,” she said.?
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