Go for cervical cancer screening, girls told

Women Coalition Against Cancer has urged girls in Karonga District to go for cervical cancer screening. 

Speaking on Monday during a cervical cancer awareness campaign conducted through a feature documentary at Maghemo Secondary School in the district, the coalition’s executive director Maud Mwakasungula said they were targeting girls and boys aged between 13 and 25 with cervical cancer messages.

She said: “We want the youth to know the role they can play to eliminate cervical cancer.

“Conquering Cancer is a feature documentary which brings to life stories of women who have survived cervical cancer. There are also testimonies from healthcare workers who work on eliminating cervical cancer.”

 Mwakasungula said the take-home message is safe sex education for boys and girls to reduce the risk of girls contracting the disease.

She said: “Girls should embrace the importance of going for screening while boys should support girls to prevent contracting the disease.

“We also want girls and boys to encourage parents to allow girls aged nine and above to get vaccinated against the disease.”

Speaking after watching the documentary, a Form Three girl Gertrude Kapanga said they learnt that cervical cancer is curable if detected early.

Karonga district cancer coordinator Spain Chimaliro said cervical cancer awareness campaigns have changed people’s minds about the disease.

“We encourage women and girls to go for cervical cancer screening because it is curable,” he said.

With funding from The Moonshine Agency, the organisation is raising cervical cancer awareness through a video documentary in Paramount Chief Kyungu in the district.