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THE National Aids Council (NAC) and Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union (ZLGU) organised a free cervical cancer screening and testing event at Chapman Golf Club at the weekend.
The event, which aimed at raising awareness of non-communicable diseases and cancer screening, saw golfers from Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe, who were competing for the Top Amateur Golfer, taking part.
Last year’s tournament saw around 1 000 women being screened for cervical cancer.
NAC acting chief executive, Raymond Yekeye, said women golfers gave them an opportunity to raise awareness of non-communicable diseases to urban women.
“This tournament has been a partnership between ZLGU and NAC for the past four years,” he said.
“As NAC, we are using this tournament, not only to drive the message of HIV, and non-communicable diseases, but to also ensure that no one is left behind by reaching out to all populations.
“Most of our activities around HIV prevention and cervical cancer have probably been targeted at rural areas, but we believe that we should also target urban ladies and offer those services.”
He said they were in discussion with ZLGU to take this tournament to other provinces of the country.
Women, who were screened applauded the initiative, and called for its decentralisation.
Veronica Bhunu highlighted the importance of attending regular cancer screenings and warned against using different herbs in their private parts.
“It is important for us women to go for regular cancer screening, because if the cancer is detected early, you will be able to get proper help before the cancer spreads,” she said.
“It is not ideal for women to go for screening when the cancer is now at stage three, so I urge women to go for screening as soon as possible.
“The screening is not painful at all and women should not be afraid to get screened.
“You can even do self-testing after being given the testing kit and taught how to go about it.”
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter