The First Lady of Kakamega County Prof. Janet Kassily Barasa has officially launched the Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening for Kakamega County Caregivers at the County General Hospital grounds.
On Tuesday Prof. Kassily noted that Cervical Cancer is the second most common cancer in the world contributing to half a million new cases and over 300,000 deaths annually.
Most of these cases, she said, occur in Africa and other low and middle-income Countries.
“In Kenya, Cervical Cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths contributing to 10% of all cancer deaths."
"This accounts for 5,250 (12.9%) of the new cancer cases and 3,400 (11.84%) of all cancer deaths annually,” she said.
The 2021 available data at Kakamega County Cancer Center indicates that a total of 1,915 clients were screened for cancer of the cervix and another 1,335 were screened for breast cancer.
“In the same year as a County, we lost five people to cervical cancer, three to breast cancer, another three to prostate cancer and 13 to cancer of the oesophagus,” The First lady added
As part of encouragement to other women to undergo the screening, the First Lady was screened at the facility to determine her status.
She advised that when tested early, Cervical Cancer is the most curable and called upon the National and County Governments, partners and other health stakeholders to join hands in creating cervical cancer screening awareness to reduce cervical cancer mortality rates.
