Makueni County First Lady Anita Mutula has called upon residents to continue with cancer screening and the uptake of the HPV vaccine for school-going children.
She expressed concern over the rise in cancer cases, which have increased by 31% in the county, and stressed the need for more early screening.
Statistics from Makueni County Referral Hospital show that cancer cases increased from 1,745 in 2023 to 2,270 in 2024, a 31% rise in just one year.
“To alleviate this, the county is planning to expand its cancer treatment center to accommodate the growing number of patients. Breast cancer was the most diagnosed type in Makueni in 2024, with 555 cases, including 3 men and 352 women. On the other hand, prostate cancer cases numbered 479, while cervical cancer cases were 210,” said Anita.
The First Lady expressed concern over the county’s low HPV vaccine uptake, emphasizing the urgent need to protect young girls from cervical cancer.
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During an event at Kathonzweni Health Centre, Maureen Mbithi, a teacher from Kathonzweni HGM, noted that prevention is better than cure. She explained that they have been encouraging their learners and educating them on the benefits of the HPV vaccine.
A Grade 8 pupil from the same school, who received the vaccine, said they had been informed about the vaccine’s benefits and that their parents had given consent.
The First Lady urged locals to take advantage of this opportunity and go for screening after launching a three-month community-based digitalized screening program targeting breast, cervical, and prostate cancer.
By Lydia Ngoolo.
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