First Lady Margaret Kenyatta launched a cervical cancer advocacy guide developed to empower and sensitize communities on cervical cancer prevention.
The advocacy guide, the first of its kind, was formulated by the Ministry of Health and partners including the National Cancer Control Program, Stop Cervical Cancer Initiative, Office of the First Lady and Beyond Zero Initiative among others.
Speaking in Nairobi when she launched the guide at the close of a two-day high level advocacy cervical cancer workshop for county first ladies and other key stakeholders, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta called for concerted efforts to eliminate cervical cancer in Kenya by 2030.
The workshop with the theme, ‘I am and I will’, was geared towards equipping stakeholders with knowledge, skills and information to champion the fight against cervical cancer at the county level across the country. The theme is in line with the campaign theme for 2019 to 2021 World Cancer Day.
“Our focus today is therefore appropriate – to urge partners to work together and identify effective ways to increase women voluntary participation in cervical cancer prevention programs,” the First Lady said.
The guide outlines key steps for advocacy to eliminate cervical cancer that include the use of evidence to frame the agenda, identification of instruments for community engagement and resource mobilization.
The guide is aligned to the National Cancer Control Strategy 2017-2022 which envisions a Kenyan population with low burden of cancer.
Renewing her commitment in the fight against cervical cancer, the First Lady emphasized the need to scale up prevention through vaccination and screening as the disease is treatable with 100 percent recovery if detected early.
“It is my hope that the meeting has identified bottlenecks and come up with effective and sustainable solutions to support the decentralized services for cervical cancer prevention, treatment and management,” the First Lady said.
