Chatinkha Maternity Care (Chamaka) has organised a ride against cancer slated for 26 April, 2020 with the aim of raising funds for buying equipment to be used to screen women in rural areas.
President of Chamaka Dr Frank Taulo said they will ride from Limbe to Mulanje via Thyolo whereby they are hoping to raise money which can be used to screen women in rural areas for cervical cancer and breast cancer in Malawi.
“We are targeting rural areas because our experience at Queen Elizabeth Hospital is that most of the cases of cancer are from rural areas and these villages are miles away from district hospitals so it is the issue of access, most women do not have access to health services.
“So we thought as health providers we should go to where these women are because they are very busy people and it’s not easy to leave home and go to hospital,” said Taulo.
He added that, in terms of screening, they are targeting women in the reproductive age group especially those aged between 25 and 45 since they have observed that women at such an age are the ones that develop cancer.
“But any woman we are going to see there will have an opportunity,” said Taulo.
According to Taulo, research shows that almost every year 3000 women die from cervical cancer in Malawi and 4, 300 new cases are registered in a year.
“You can see cervical cancer is a quite challenge and within the region it has been noted that Malawi is doing badly on cancer of the cervix, that’s why we are doing this.
“Our expectation is to give an opportunity to every woman who is at the risk of developing cervical cancer and breast cancer so that we reduce the risk of that,” said Taulo.
He further indicated that the ride will also give participants an opportunity to exercise which will make them to have health and strong bodies.
The participants will also receive medical services from MASM, FPAM and PSI Malawi.
They will further have an opportunity to donate blood which will be used in our hospitals.
The Ride against Cancer which is expected to happen on 26 April will start in the morning exactly at 6am and every participant individual will pay K8,000.
People outside from this country will pay 100 US dollars per person while companies and organisations will pay the sum of 500, 000 each.
Organisation which will take part in the ride against cancer fundraising activity include FPAM, PSI, Malawi Blood Transfusion and MASM.
Taulo appealed to the corporate world, individuals and all well-wishers within and outside Malawi to help the organisation with this ride.
Chatinkha Maternity Care is an organisation consisting of doctors and other health personnel based in Blantyre.
