Every year on the 25th of April, the whole world commemorates World Malaria Day, which is aimed at highlighting the need for continued effort in malaria control and prevention.
Cervical Cancer in Malawi
Meet Glyceria
Glyceria Selemani was diagnosed with cervical cancer in May of this year.
“I was severely bleeding for 4 months,” she says. “I was in so much pain. It never crossed my mind that it could be cervical cancer. I hadn’t even heard of cervical cancer until I attended a health talk at Orant’s clinic.”
Aged 57, Glyceria hails from Tchale village, Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa. She is a single mother of three. Like many women in rural Malawi, Glyceria lives far from healthcare facilities. She cannot afford transportation to a hospital. Orant knows this struggle and aims to assist.
“After being diagnosed,” Glyceria says, “Orant provided me with all the support I needed. They even gave me transport money to Kamuzu Central Hospital. I have been going to Kamuzu for chemotherapy since.”
The chemo is working. “I am now feeling so much better,” Glyceria says, “My only worry is that I have lost my hair due to chemotherapy.”
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer starts in the cells of the cervix, the lower part of the womb that connects to the birth canal. Cancer happens when cells begin to grow out of control.
Cervical Cancer in Malawi
Malawi has the highest cervical cancer incidence and mortality rate in the world, BMC Public Health reported in 2015. Yet screening and treatment remain challenging. Malawi lacks effective treatment facilities, equipment, and trained professionals.
Another challenge in Malawi is late diagnosis. Late diagnosis happens for two reasons. 1. Lack of access to information. And 2. Rural poverty. Glyceria is the perfect example. If not for Orant’s health talks, she wouldn’t have known she had cancer. If not for Orant’s support, she wouldn’t have been able to afford transportation to the hospital.
Orant’s Role
Orant provides health and awareness talks on cervical cancer in both our static and mobile outreach clinics almost every day. Thanks to these talks, more women visit our static clinic for screening.
Every Wednesday, our clinicians conduct Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) screenings f0r all women who are sexually active. We screen HIV positive people every year; HIV negative people every three years. If a patient shows positive cervical cancer signs, we give them thermal coagulation. This treatment uses a small device to destroy lesions with heat.
We also refer anyone with lesions on their cervix to Kamuzu Central Hospital. There, they receive further screening and biopsy. We give these patients money for transportation, biopsy, monitoring, and assessment for up to 3 years.
“We are the only healthcare center that provides money for cancer patients’ transportation,” says Mary Zadzola, a nurse at Orant’s Static Clinic, “I’m glad that women are being helped and supported.”
Learn more about Orant’s Healthcare Programs here.
The Orant Journal
Improving Healthcare Services through Quality of Care Assessment
Last week, we were visited by the quality of care assessment team from Dowa District hospital. Read today's blog post to learn about how this exercise is important to us and the community we serve.
New Wheels from Orant’s Healthcare Program
We are always happy when our support brings a smile on peoples faces and changes their lives. In this week’s blog article, we are talking to Andrea Mwale, a 41 year old man from Chapuwala village in Kasese. Andrea shares his gratitude towards the support that our Healthcare program has recently provided to him.
School Surveys Lead to Better Learning Outcomes
Data is one of the most important tools in all our programs as it helps us measure whether our programs are making an impact or when it’s time for change. For the past three weeks, our Education program has been surveying schools in our catchment area. Check out today’s blog to learn more about how this survey is going to contribute to our Education program.
Improving Healthcare Access in Rural Malawi
We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new Mobile Outreach Clinic this week, which is a great stride that our Healthcare program has achieved! We have started our operations with treating Chatalala Community in Kasungu district, Traditional Authority Njombwa. Read our blog post to learn more about how the new mobile outreach clinic will serve communities better.
Malaria Season in Malawi
Summer in the Southern Hemisphere brings malaria season in Malawi, a dangerous disease that can kill those who do not receive treatment in time. Orant works to ensure that those afflicted with the disease receive the proper treatment and recover.
The Challenge of Noncommunicable Diseases in Rural Malawi
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) remain a huge burden to the healthcare sector in Malawi. Read our blog post to learn more about NCDs.
Conducting Mobile Outreach Clinics in Malawi
Your donations have purchased a new trailer for our Mobile Outreach Clinic! Read our latest blog as our Mobile Outreach Clinic (MOC) team shares how the new trailer will be of great help to the team’s daily operations.
A New Hope for Mothers in Malawi
In rural Malawi, pregnant women face many challenges including lack of access to prenatal care, poor nutrition, and lack of safe spaces to deliver their babies. Orant is working to change that with the renovation of our maternity ward. Read about it in this week’s blog.
Orant Improves Eye Health in Rural Malawi
On the last Wednesday of every month, our Kasese Health Centre conducts eye clinics for local residents in need of treatment. Read our latest blog to learn more about our eye clinics and how they help people in rural Malawi.