Africa Must Pay More Attention to Women’s Health – Cancer Expert

Nairobi: Cervical and breast cancers remain the biggest threat to the health of women in Africa, as they continue to be the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women on the continent. Statistics indicate that only 50 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Africa survive beyond five years, compared to more than 90 per cent in high-income countries. According to Ghana News Agency, Ms Dorothy Nyong'o, Managing Trustee of the Africa Cancer Foundation and member of the Africa Breast Cancer Council, highlighted the significant toll these cancers take on families, communities, and economies. Speaking at the Africa Press Day event organised by Roche Africa in Nairobi, Ms Nyong'o, who is also the First Lady of Kisumu County, stressed the importance of women's health, noting that women form the backbone of societies. She urged African governments and development partners to address this issue as a strategic and economic priority, not just a moral one. Ms Nyong'o called for increased funding from African governments towards women's cancers, focusing on prevention, lifestyle awareness, screening, and early diagnosis. She pointed out the challenges women face, often being diagnosed too late, and emphasised the importance of faster treatment pathways and patient navigation. Many patients, she noted, are lost in their treatment journey due to a lack of information and understanding of their diagnosis's urgency. Highlighting the need for access to innovative therapies and palliative care, Ms Nyong'o warned of the severe consequences of inaction, delayed diagnosis, and treatment. She encouraged women to be proactive about their health, suggesting they use their birthdays as reminders for comprehensive health screenings, particularly for cervical and breast cancers. The Africa Press Day event, themed 'Health is Wealth,' gathered stakeholders from across the continent to discuss topics including Africa's health financing, women's health, equity, and the economics of health. Participants included representat ives from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Algeria, Tanzania, Morocco, Tunisia, as well as civil society organisations and financial institutions, such as Afreximbank. On the second day of the event, participants visited the EMPOWER Clinic at Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi. This clinic, one of the new digital clinics operated by Roche Africa and partners like the Ministry of Health, Kenya's National Cancer Institute, and Savannah Informatics, aims to support timely cancer screening and care for women. Authorities reported that more than 235,000 women in Kenya have been screened since the EMPOWER project began in 2019, with 12,369 individuals registered on the digital platform that tracks patient care progress.