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First Lady Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa (right) is shown catering dishes for diabetic patients with Western and traditional foods by the catering manager at Mpilo hospital kitchen Mrs Zinia Ndlovu (second from left) during her tour of Mpilo Hospital yesterday – Pic By Dennis Mudzamiri

Thandeka Moyo, Chronicle Reporter
THE First Lady Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday urged men to also go for cancer screening to fight the disease which has become the top killer after overtaking HIV.

During a tour of Mpilo Central Hospital yesterday, Cde Mnangagwa said the war against cancer can be won if both men and women go for screening.

The First Lady is championing a cancer campaign that will run until March 2 this year. On Wednesday, Cde Mnangagwa led by example when she underwent the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Camera (VIAC) cancer screening procedure at United Bulawayo Hospitals.

She said it was the duty of every Zimbabwean to ensure the revival of the health sector and the economy.

“We have a mobile screening service that will be circulating countrywide and I urge everyone to come on board and get screened for cancer. The mobile facility offers screening for our top killer cancers which are cervical, breast and prostate so men must be involved too,” she said.

The First Lady urged the corporate world to assist local health institutions to feed patients and improve health care services delivery.

She donated food and seedlings during her tour of Mpilo Central Hospital.

Cde Mnangagwa said the business community must complement her gesture.

“I am passionate about women and health care hence the donation of food and seedlings to complement supplies at Mpilo. However as you can see, this will not last a lifetime hence business people should make it their obligation to ensure that patients in public hospitals have access to proper food and medication,” said Cde Mnangagwa.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa who is accompanying the First Lady said Government was still committed to equipping all hospitals and clinics with the necessary machinery.

“We are happy that this hospital built long ago now has equipment and we will continue furnishing it with additional machinery. So far Mpilo has 13 working dialysis machines and we are pushing to have at least 21 for people with kidney problems,” said Dr Parirenyatwa. “We are also working on acquiring X-rays for our clinics and other machinery so that people do not flood our hospitals.”

Four women die of cervical cancer in Zimbabwe daily and the disease burden is worsened by the high HIV prevalence rate. — @thamamoe