In Uganda, cervical cancer kills more women than any other form of cancer. It affects women worldwide, but the situation in rural Uganda is distinct, shaped by cultural misconceptions and location barriers. This is particularly true of the Kibaale district, a farming region in Western Uganda where we launched our integrated breast and cervical cancer initiative in 2023.
Cervical cancer, while dangerous, is treatable. If discovered before cells have become cancerous, treatment is less costly and minimally invasive. However, cervical cancer screening rates are low in Uganda, driven by capacity challenges and a lack of awareness.
Our educational training camps give women the full picture, including how to prevent and detect and detect cervical cancer and where to find a local clinic. Our community ambassadors have worked alongside local partners to design culturally relevant educational content to be shared through outreach events and radio programmes.
At the core of our approach is female empowerment. Our community ambassadors work on-the-ground, reminding women that medical treatment is a fundamental human right. We also stress the vital role of community support in recovery. We encourage our rural community ambassadors to offer personalised home visits and run peer groups where women can share their experiences in a safe environment.
Since the start of our integrated breast and cervical cancer initiative in 2023, at least 700 women have been screened for cervical cancer.
Atwongyeire Sheillah, who took part in one of our training camps, describes how the initiative changed her life “Many of us, including me, didn't know the signs and symptoms of breast and cervical cancer. Thank you so much for training us”.
Through raising awareness of the importance of timely cervical cancer screening, we hope to serve as an example to policy makers and encourage the implementation of a similar programme on a national scale.
Will you join us in our mission to destigmatise cervical cancer and donate to save lives across the Kibaale district?
