By Nyasha Dube
Health practitioners in marginalised areas say women in these areas continue being left behind in terms of knowledge on breast cancer and other cancers.
This comes at a time when Zimbabwe recently joined the rest of the world in commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.
In an interview with Women’s Weekly Journal, health expert Sister Norleen Hove from Zvishavane expressed her concern over lack of effective flow of information in rural areas.
“Breast Cancer awareness is difficult in rural areas due to factors such as poor road networks, transport shortages to ferry experts, poor communication channels and lack of adequate knowledge on the disease,” said Sister Hove.
These challenges have been going unabated for years, and this has led to the increase in breast cancer victims in remote areas.
Women in these areas lack basic knowledge on breast self examination as well as where they can access cancer screening services.
Health facilities are very few, and most women are forced to walk long distances to access clinics or hospitals.
Sister Hove highlighted the need to intensify education and awareness programs in these areas.
“Rural health care centres can be used as starting points to educate all the people who visit. This can spread to business centres, meeting points and other places where more people can be reached,” she said.
She also recommended the use of powerful medium tools such as radio in spreading awareness.
Women in rural areas are often faced with challenges in accessing adequate knowledge on breast cancer due to health care barriers such as distance, poor road networks, limited supply of medication among others.
Research has shown that one in eight women can develop breast cancer.