Nyamira County AIDS Control Committee Chairperson, Mrs Rachael Nyaboke has urged women to go for early screening for HIV, breast and cervical cancers.
Nyaboke said that HIV infection increased women’s risk of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, a leading cause of cervical cancer and prevailed on them to go for early and regular screening.
She was addressing single mothers and widows drawn from various sub-counties in Nyamira at Nyakenama field in Nyamira north Sub County.
The chairperson said that half of those diagnosed with cancer died when the disease was diagnosed at its advanced stages, hence the insistence on early and regular check-ups.
She urged women to know their status pointing out those medical experts observed that most cancers could be cured if detected early.
“It is important to know your status. Go and get tested and be screened, do not wait until it is too late,” she said.
The chairperson also asked women to stay away from dangerous habits like having multiple sexual partners that make HPV survive and attack their bodies.
“We are happy that the number of women undertaking voluntarily cancer check-ups in our county has increased though we insist on early check-up since the virus can stay in women’s bodies for ten years before the symptoms appear,” she added.