The Nairobi County Health Ministry has partnered with BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a global medical technology company, to implement a formula incorporating technology in the fight against cancer.
A large campaign has been launched to encourage cervical cancer screening using BD’s FDA-approved self-collection technology.
This initiative aims to raise awareness and improve screening access for women in disadvantaged and underserved communities, where the disease burden is highest.
The initiative is supported by the Kenya Ministry of Health, the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K), the Nairobi County Government, and Healthstrat.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Kenya, with an estimated 3,211 deaths annually. Globally, this number is approximately 341,000 deaths per year, with the majority of these fatalities occurring in low- and lower-middle-income countries such as Kenya.
Following this initiative in Kenya, women will be empowered to self-screen in a private, safe, and comfortable environment. Long-standing barriers to access will be eliminated.
Although effective screening methods are already available in Kenya, efforts to combat the disease have been largely hindered by cultural stigmas, limited access to healthcare professionals, and infrastructural challenges.