Cervical cancer claims more lives among women in Tanzania than any other illness. Each year, approximately 10,241 women between the ages of 15 and 44 are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 6,525 lose their lives as a consequence of delayed diagnosis. Studies suggest that women living with HIV are up to six times more likely to develop this cancer than those without the virus. UN Women Tanzania works with partners and local networks of women living with HIV on a project to promote awareness and advocate for cervical cancer prevention, screening and treatment among low-income women and those living with HIV.

In the Kagera region of Tanzania, Lili,* a 57-year-old mother of two living with HIV, experienced unexplained pain and discomfort for years. Like many women in her community, she had never heard of cervical cancer or its symptoms.

“I had all the symptoms but thought they were just part of my HIV condition. When they worsened, I self-medicated, thinking it was just an infection,” she said.

For Lili, a project to promote cervical cancer screening implemented by UN Women and the Network of Women Living with HIV not only came at the right time but saved her life. The project, implemented in the Kagera and Mwanza regions of Tanzania, trained community volunteers, including women living with HIV, to raise awareness about cervical cancer effectively.

Lili learned about the cervical cancer screening initiative through one of the members of the network and was selected to participate in cervical cancer advocacy training. Filled with questions and doubts during the training, Lili requested to be screened.

After attending an advocacy training through the project, Lili underwent screening and treatment, ” After I was diagnosed, I immediately received treatment. This made me realize that many women in my village might be facing similar challenges without even knowing it. I was motivated to spread the word so others wouldn’t suffer as I did.”

Following the training, the Network of Women Living with HIV launched community mobilization campaigns, using different methods to inform their communities about the early signs of cervical cancer, treatment, HPV vaccines, and the importance of regular screening.

“In just a few months, we were able to visit about 250 homes in five wards of Bukoba district, educating families on cervical cancer. We also worked with local radio stations and went to all public events making sure we reached as many women as we could in Kagera,” Lili shared.

The project specifically aims to raise awareness of women and young women living with HIV. This information is crucial for prevention, screening and treatment. Due to these advocacy efforts, over 1,000 women have now undergone cervical cancer screenings.

Speaking about the project’s impact, Ms. Neema Kyamba, the coordinator of maternal and child health in the Kagera region, said that many women now have a deeper understanding of cervical cancer and have become more proactive about their health. This has led to an increase in the number of women seeking screening services, especially women and girls living with HIV.

Hali,* another beneficiary of the project echoed this sentiment, “Participating in this project has made me more health conscious. I now go for regular screenings and check-ups, setting an example for others in my community.”

* Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individual.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

World Health Day was observed at national level in Asmara under the theme “My Health-My Right”. The occasion was graced by senior officials from the Ministry of Health and representatives from various United Nations agencies in Eritrea.

Dr. Andebrhan Tesfatsion, the Acting Director General of Public Health at the Ministry, highlighted Eritrea’s commitment to ensuring basic healthcare for all, aligning with the principles laid out in the National Charter and Macro Policy. He underscored the ongoing efforts to enhance the national health strategy, aiming for efficient and high-quality healthcare services.

Dr. Andebrhan emphasized the comprehensive approach taken, including significant investments in healthcare, initiatives to foster behavioral change, bolstering human resources, modernizing medical infrastructure, and encouraging community engagement. He shared noteworthy achievements: 70% of Eritreans now access healthcare services within 5 km of their homes, with 80% within a 10 km radius. Additionally, vaccination coverage for 12 diseases has reached 98%, there’s been a marked decrease in new infections, and latrine utilization stands at approximately 80%.

Dr. Nonso Ejiofor, the WHO Representative in Eritrea, reflected on the remarkable health advancements in the region over the past decade. He noted increases in life expectancy for African women from 54 to 67 years between 2000 and 2020, a 33% drop in maternal mortality rates, and a 50% reduction in child mortality rates before the age of five. Dr. Ejiofor also highlighted significant strides in combating HIV/AIDS and TB, with a 44% decrease in new HIV infections and a 55% reduction in AIDS-related deaths from 2011 to 2021, alongside a 26% decline in TB fatalities. Efforts towards eradicating diseases like polio and guinea worm disease, and eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus, are nearing success.

This year’s event marked the 28th national and 76th international observance of World Health Day, reaffirming Eritrea’s dedication to health as a fundamental human right.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

The prolonged reopening of Kilembe Mines Hospital in Kasese District which was washed away by floods, is taking a toll on the residents and has attracted the attention of Parliament.

In February 2023, government issued instructions to cease all financial assistance to the hospital. This directive was communicated by Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, in a letter to the Chairperson of the Committee of Health. 

The decision was made due to the hospital’s susceptibility to flooding in the River Nyamwamba catchment area, which has led to recurrent damages to the property, notably in May 01, 2013, May 05, 2014, and most recently on May 07 and May 10 in 2020. 

In a meeting of the Committee on Government Assurance and implementation held at the Kilembe hospital with officials of the district and hospital on Friday, 06 April 2024 stakeholders were irked by the delay to operationalise the hospital.

Edson Kambere, an engineer from Kilembe Mines, emphasised the availability of land for the hospital’s reconstruction, stating that the necessary arrangements were made but communication from the Ministry of Health has been lacking. 

Richard Bomera, the LC3 Chairperson of Bulembia Division, provided detailed accounts of the efforts made to secure government support for the hospital.

He highlighted the challenges faced due to disruptions in the supply of medicines and the transfer of funds meant for Kilembe Mines Hospital to other facilities. He said that a Parliament resolution calling for operationalisation of the facility over two years ago has never been respected.

“The people continued struggling; none of the health facilities in the catchment of the six sub-counties was given even a single tablet.”

The Deputy Town Clerk, Zedekiah Kayiiri, reiterated administrative challenges regarding staffing and funding allocation, emphasising the need for clarity and adherence to the policies. 

Members of Parliament, including Hon. Ferigo Kambale (NRM, Kasese Municipality) expressed dismay over the Ministry of Health’s actions, labelling them as contemptuous of parliamentary decisions and detrimental to the healthcare needs of the community. 

“The move that Ministry of Health has taken is purely to close the hospital.”

Political tensions were also brought to light, with accusations against top leadership of the district for allegedly undermining efforts to reinstate the hospital, potentially due to political rivalries.

An emotional Hon. Florence Kabugho, the Kasese District Woman MP said the terrains of Kasese are very difficult to explore making it difficult to access services. 

“You come all the way from 17 kilometres deep from the mountain, and then when you reach Kilembe Mines Hospital, they tell you that this hospital is not working, go to Rukooki. If the river has flooded, where do you go?” She lamented.

Hon. Sylvia Tumwekwase, the District Woman MP for Kamwenge added her voice to the chorus of concerns regarding the closure of the hospital. Drawing from her past involvement with an organisation that supported the hospital through result-based financing. 

She emphasised the critical role Kilembe Hospital played in providing healthcare to a substantial volume of patients within the region. 

Hon. Stephen Sserubula, the Lugazi Municipality MP, said Parliament will do what it takes to ensure the reinstatement of the hospital.

The committee’s deputy chairperson, Hon. Joyce Bagala, stated that the committee’s role was to follow up on the promise by government to construct Kilembe Mines Hospital, and they will make sure to follow up on this pledge to the latter.

She said when the committee reconvenes in Kampala, they will interface with the Ministry of Health to question them on the failure to open the hospital.

“We are going to follow up on this matter. Matters of health are of concern to all of us and working with all your Members of Parliament and others, we are going to ensure that you get these services,” Bagala, also the Mityana District Woman MP, said.

The hospital that employed 82 staff now has only 14 ocassioned by the funding gaps.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

The 10th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-10) will be held in hybrid format on 23-25 April 2024 at the headquarters of the African Union Commission (AUC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The theme of the forum is “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions.”

According to Nassim Oulmane, Acting Director of the Technology Climate Change, and Natural Resource Management Division of the ECA, while African member States are past midway in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, progress on most SDGs is off-track and is either moving much too slowly or has regressed below the 2015 baseline; Achieving the SDGs by the set deadline of 2030 is contingent on stepping up implementation through ambitious and bold solutions and action.

“ARFSD-10 is a timely opportunity to address shortcomings and capitalize on emerging opportunities to ensure robust, accelerated and timely implementation of the SDGs and Agenda 2063. In addition, participants will play a key role in mobilizing Africa’s inputs for the Summit of the Future to be held in September 2024,” he adds.

Jointly organized by the ECA in collaboration with the AUC, the African Development Bank and UN system organizations, the Forum aims to assess progress and exchange knowledge, best practices, and policy solutions to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in line with regional priorities. 

The SDGs goals on the ARFSD-10 agenda are: Goal 1 (No poverty), Goal 2 (Zero Hunger),Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and the corresponding goals of Agenda 2063.

Several pre-events and side events aligned with the theme and subthemes of the Forum will precede ARFSD-10 from 17 April to 22 April. These include Coding Camp for African Girls; A Science Technology and Innovation Boot Camp for young people; a Youth Forum on the Summit of the Future and the 6th African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum. Other events include a Dialogue Session on Carbon Markets, Africa Climate Talks and Review of Progress on Food Systems. The Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed is also slated to lead the annual meeting of the Regional Collaborative Platform for Africa, and a retreat of African UN Resident Coordinators. 

“For Africa, integrated implementation of the SDGs and the Agenda 2063 is essential; and we need actions and solutions at scale to achieve both,” he says and notes that out of ARFSD-10 will be key messages comprising specific issues of importance, and a declaration, which will inform the forthcoming global UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development later in the year.

Participants will include high-level policy makers and experts from ministries and agencies responsible for finance and economic development, social affairs, environment and natural resources management, statistics, agriculture and food security, science, technology and innovation and other ministries from the 54 ECA member States. Representatives from the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities and other regional and subregional organizations as well as UN system agencies, development partners, major groups that include civil society organizations, the private sector and academia will be in attendance.

ARFSD is one of the three mechanisms mandated to follow-up, review and catalyze actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by UN Member States in September 2015. 

Nine sessions of the Regional Forum have been held to date.

To register, click here. 

Follow #ARFSD10 #ARFSD2024 on social media for updates.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).