Controversial Issues
MALAWI NATION NEWS
MALAWI NEWS STORY IS BELOW THIS NCCC EDITORIAL/BLOG:
July 4, 2008 - West Hills, Ca - The National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) www.nccc-online.org adds the story below in this editorial/blog on the country of Malawi, Africa.
PLEASE NOTE: Over the course of the NCCC's history, we have held two fund raisers specifically for the country of Malawi, Africa.
In Malawi, cervical cancer is at high epidemic proportions. Malawi is a small poor country in Africa.
Often, the population lives in villages and there is no ready available transportation for the women to come into the towns for their cervical cancer screen. Also, even while in town, the medical resources are scare and can be hard to come by.
Women will walk miles upon miles to come into town for their health-care. And in many villages, first the women must get permission from the Chief of their village to be allowed to get cervical cancer testing.
Education has been an ongoing challenge explaining to the village and town populations that a cervical cancer screen should not be viewed upon in a negative cultural way. Education has occurred and continues to point out how cervical cancer screening can stop the spread of disease. Many of the population in Malawi battle HIV/AIDS day after day.
The women of Malawi, Africa with HIV/AIDS often die of cervical cancer. Due to the compromised Immune system from the HIV/AIDS infected women, the human papilloma virus (HPV) is able to raise its head and grow into cervical cancer. Women (and men) are dying daily in epidemic proportions leaving behind young children with no family unit or ongoing focused family care. It is a tragedy.
Since Malawi is a relatively small county, the world community could take a stand and STOP the spread of HPV and cervical cancer in Malawi.
We invite you to Imagine, with Malawian government support, to consider showcasing the small country of Malawi to show the rest of the world how Best Practices can be put into place to help reduce the burden of disease and turn off an epidemic and grow a healthy lifestyle...
The NCCC calls out to the world community to solicit support by the Malawian government and join with them to:
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(1) STOP THE SPREAD OF HPV and CERVICAL CANCER BY VACCINATING THE ENTIRE (small) MALAWIAN POPULATION (Girls and Boys) BETWEEN THE AGES OF 7 to 21 with the HPV/CERVICAL CANCER VACCINES.
(2) PROVIDE INEXPENSIVE QUALITY MEDICATION TREATMENT FOR WOMEN and MEN INFECTED WITH HIV/AIDS.
(3) PUT IN PLACE A SELF-SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR ALL MALAWIAN'S AT AGE APPROPRIATE INTERVALS AT CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE, YOUNG ADULT AND ADULT AGES ON HEALTH PREVENTION, SAFETY, AND FAMILY.
(4) HELP FOSTER HEALTHY SELF-SUSTAINABLE JOBS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
Let's START; TODAY... with the Malawian governments direction, the vaccination portion of this program to vaccinate 100% of the Malawian youth population and end the cycle of death that hits hard into the Malawian families homes can begin right away! Malawi can be held up as a glowing example of how the world can come together and fight a war together. Let's join hands and fight the war on Cancer and save generations from dying within this small country in Africa. This is a war we can all fight together and win! As success takes root, local African governments, along with other governments worldwide, will take notice of the Best Practices and HUGE Improved Patient Outcomes flowing out of Malawi. And the Milawian children of today and tomorrow will have their parents and families to grow a productive loving lifestyle that is sustainable.
Let us all remember and take action on those famous words of Margaret Mead:
"NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. INDEED, IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT HAS."
-Margaret Mead - (US anthropologist and popularizer of anthropology (1901-1978)
Call the NCCC and let's join together.
-Alan Kaye, NCCC CHAIR-
MALAWI NATION NEWS
Women to be screened for cervical cancer
BY THERESA KASAWALA July 4, 2008 - Malawi, Africa -
Government has proposed that all women visiting the country’s hospitals be screened for cervical cancer in order to determine how many women are affected by the disease.
This was said by the Principal Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet responsible for Nutrition and HIV/Aids, Mary Shawa.
Shawa said in an interview that there were increased reports of women suffering from cervical cancer in the country.
“Cervical cancer is very common in women who are living with the HIV the virus that causes Aids, and these cases are on the increase that is why it is important for the government to have data on the problem,” said Shawa.
She said the information collected from the exercise would help the government to put in place measures to contain the problem.
“Apart from that exercise, we will raise awareness to ensure that people go to the hospital for testing.
“Continuous menstruation, loss of body weight and pain in the lower abdomen are some of the signs of cervical cancer, said Shawa.
She said any cancer is not curable but if discovered in its early stage, treatment can be given to kill the cancer cells.
Shawa said the growth of cervical cancer could be stopped through scraping them off or chemotherapy at its early stage, among others ways.
“There is need for women in the country to go for medical check-up to test cervical cancer, if the disease is to be prevented,” she explained.
