Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Former Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe has urged both men and women to get screened for breast cancer as early detection and treatment boosts one’s chances of survival.
Khupe made the call as the world dedicates the rest of October to raising awareness on breast cancer.
The former trade unionist was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2011 and underwent treatment and surgery which cost her one of her breasts.
In 2021, Khupe founded the Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation (TKCF) to raise awareness on cancer. She said:
It is therefore important to note that men are affected and hence the need for both sexes to do screening and self-examination. Early detection of cancer saves lives.
I am a living testimony of that. I was diagnosed 11 years ago but after treatment, I am cured and still alive even today.
The TKCF turns 10 years old this October as it was launched on the 24th of October 2012.
We continue to advocate for the establishment of cancer screening and treatment facilities in all the 1 958 wards in Zimbabwe as well as that cancer screening and treatment must be available, affordable and accessible taking into consideration that we have only two hospitals catering for cancer.
Khupe called for the establishment of a Cancer Levy in line with the Aids Levy to make cancer treatment available, accessible and affordable for all Zimbabweans. She added:
The sad reality is, women only discover that they have breast cancer when their cancer is at stage three or four, due to a lack of awareness and barriers to health services.
Stages three and four are advanced stages such that very little can be done.
Breast cancer is the second leading cancer in Zimbabwe. Studies have shown that one in every 10 women will have breast cancer and one in every 100 men will also have breast cancer.
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