Foundation for cancer awareness campaign

Tanzania Breast Cancer Foundation (TBCF) has said most cancer patients from rural areas go for screening when the disease is already at an advanced stage, and hence cannot be treated.

 

According to TBCF, women in rural areas are not fully aware of the disease and its early symptoms and hence end up seeking the treatment from tradition healers. 

The foundation says such women only decide to go to hospitals when the situation has worsened.

 

TBFC Director, Angela Kuzilwa, said the situation is equally bad in other urban areas, especially upcountry. She urged women who are aware of the affliction to visit district hospitals which can refer them to the Ocean Road Cancer Institute – the only such facility in the country.

 

The Director said Ocean Road Cancer Institute receives between 3,000 and 3,500 patients per year and yet only 10 percent of them get medical treatment since most of them discover the disease at a stage where it no longer responds to treatment.

 

The Director appealed to private and public institutions, including the media to promote awareness of the disease to ensure that more patients report to hospital when the disease is at its early stages, terming the diseases a national disaster.

 

“Despite coming for treatment, majority of them usually come at a very late stage. The disease can only be treated if it is discovered during early stages,” she said.

 

According to Kuzilwa, most of the victims of cancer are women. She said little knowledge about cancer and its early symptoms among this group leads to the late discovery of the disease.

 

 “Tanzanians should join hands by helping women in the fight against breast cancer. It is killing a lot of our beloved mothers who fail to read the symptoms early,” she said.

 

The Director said that sensitising and educating them could contribute immensely to saving lives.

 

She said TBCF plans to conduct massive campaigns countrywide in a move to provide education to women in rural and urban areas on early symptoms of breast cancer and its effects.

 

She said in last year’s charity walk the Foundation collected 100m/-, part of which will be used for the campaigns.

 

Kuzilwa called on men to support their wives who have been found with cancer and warned against discriminating them.