Let us use all avenues to raise awareness about cancer, urges Kenya's First Lady Margaret Kenyatta

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has urged all stakeholders in the fight against cancer to use all available avenues to raise awareness about the disease.

She said it is through having proper information that enables citizens to deal with cancer that Africa can be able to have healthy populations and consequently healthy nations.

The First Lady was speaking during the closing ceremony of the three day continental conference on cancer at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

*President Uhuru receiving a plaque at the 9th* *Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference.* (PHOTO: COURTESY)

She said the Forum of African First Ladies against Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer will work closely with the media, civil society, communities and other stakeholders so as to speedily realize its aspirations.

“Let me remind you that we must realize that only in unity of purpose can we garner the collective strength of mind and will that we need to wage a formidable fight against this scourge,” said the First Lady.

She said one of the outcomes of the 9th Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference is to increase awareness about cancers in the continent.

She underscored the need for delegates to go back to their home countries and share the knowledge with colleagues and the public, so as to win the fight against cancer across the continent.

“Your work complements our advocacy efforts to commit leaders in Africa and the world to support the campaign to expand access to prevention, treatment and palliative care services for people with cancer,” said the First Lady.

She pointed out that the forum of African First Ladies against Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer will build stronger public-private partnerships among African and global institutions to improve access and the quality of preventive, treatment and palliative care services.

First Ladies from other countries attending the conference said dissemination of proper information is essential to the fight against cancer.

In a marathon session which lasted over three hours the First Ladies enumerated the prevalence’s, trends and facts about cancer in their respective countries, which are almost similar across the continent.

They said more partnerships between governments and the private sector are required to forestall dangers posed by the disease.

Twelve First Ladies attended the 9th Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference besides over 3000 delegates.

During the closing ceremony Ethiopian First Lady Mrs Roman Tesfaye was given the rights to host the 10th SCCA conference.