Integrating breast and cervical cancer screening in workplace policies

Dr Kaseba said investing in the health of women will keep the country’s economic path on course as the female gender often works harder than men. She said it is important for employers to use every opportunity to enable their female employees to access cancer screening facilities instead of leaving the exercise to the Ministry of Health.

Dr Kaseba said the fight against breast and cervical cancer should be doubled to make Zambia a shining example in the efforts of reducing the incidence of disease in Africa. She said this at State House yesterday when she was conferred with the position of vice-chairperson of the Forum of African First Ladies against Breast and Cervical Cancer. In July this year, Dr Kaseba will take over the position of chairperson from South Africa’s First Lady Tobeka Zuma when Zambia hosts the forum’s conference.

“The corporate world has done well in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Our challenge now is to help the Ministry of Health to bring services closer to the people, by integrating the screening of breast and cervical cancer into our workplace HIV and AIDS policies,” Dr Kaseba said.
She said Zambia has found itself in a privileged position following the launch of the Pink Ribbon and Red Ribbon campaigns by former United States President George Bush in Lusaka last year.

Dr Kaseba commended nurses who have been in the forefront in screening and treating cervical cancer.  She said she is excited about her new position and will work with the corporate world to raise awareness on cancer in the country. “I cannot achieve anything in my role as vice chairperson, without support from the people around me. They say charity begins at home. So, Zambia should be a shining example in screening for cancer in women,” Dr Kaseba said.

She said the new cervical cancer vaccine HPV can bring down the risk of cancer infection by 75 percent. Dr Kaseba said cervical cancer can be prevented by vaccinating female children who have never had sex. “Tell the nation that there is help. Women must take their younger female children for vaccination and those who are sexually active must go for screening. A lot of them will have pre-cancer detected and treated before the situation worsens,” Dr Kaseba said.