DR Congo campaign finds 43 suspected cancer cases
Health workers screened 113 women and raised awareness among nearly 600 people in South and North Kivu.
Health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo identified 43 suspected cases of breast and cervical cancer during an October campaign in South and North Kivu provinces. The initiative, led by the Bunyakiri health zone and the Clubs des filles reporters, also provided free consultations to 113 women and raised awareness among over 580 people across three health zones.
Simon Mihona, coordinator for the Clubs des filles reporters, reported that 421 people were informed in Bunyakiri, 90 in Kalonge, and 25 community leaders in Itebero. Medical staff conducted 61 consultations in Bunyakiri, 29 in Itebero, and 23 in Kalonge, leading to the identification of the 43 potential cases, including one probable case in Bunyakiri.
Dr. Marquis Chiralo, head of the Bunyakiri health zone, stated that individuals with suspicious signs require further examinations to confirm or rule out cancer. He urged partners and donors to support such actions, while Kasese Maene, head of the Gender and Family office in Bunyakiri, called for more resources to ensure women receive accurate health status checks.
Why it mattersWomen in the Kalehe and Walikale territories of South and North Kivu need further medical examinations for suspected breast and cervical cancer.