Zimbabwe has now been ranked among the top 10 countries in Africa with the highest number of people dying of cancer.
It’s reported that Zimbabwe has over 2 000 women succumbing to cervical cancer each year.
Zimbabwe’s Family Health Director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Benard Madzima, applauded the political will in the country to fight all types of cancer, with First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa taking a leading role.
“You need political leadership at the highest level for the message to reach communities, so our work has been made easier by our First Lady who is committed to our cause,”said Madzima.
The First Lady, Amai Mnangagwa, has been on a campaign across the country urging women to undergo early screening sessions for cervical cancer through the Angel of Hope Foundation.
Thousands of vulnerable women have benefitted through this initiative. The biggest cancer awareness event in the world, the Global Relay for Life, is set to be launched in Zimbabwe to celebrate survivors and raise money for life-saving research and programmes in fighting the disease.
The Global Relay for Life, an event that enables cancer leagues around the world to increase their visibility and generate cancer awareness, outreach, and income in their communities, is set to be launched in Zimbabwe next year.
The other nine countries on the list with the highest cervical cancer rates are Swaziland, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, Lesotho, Madagascar and Comoros. South Africa is ranked 14th on the list by the World Cancer Research Fund.
