In 2010, UHAI worked in collaboration with Ndeiya Health center in Limuru to screen for diabetes, hypertension, cervical cancer and breast cancer screening. The cervical cancer screening was only done in one location while diabetes, hypertension and clinical breast exams were conducted in all three locations.
We also offered Basic Life Support training to medical providers and school teachers. This training was offered by Dr. Pegeen Eslami an Emergency Pediatric doctor at UMass Medical Center.
Uhai for Health screened over 600 individuals on diabetes and hypertension. About 246 women were screened for cervical cancer using the VIA/VILLI method and clinical breast exams were performed to about 300 women.
During this mission we were able to go back to Thika for the second time, and as our first screening, the cases for chronic diseases were still high. With more screening, education and medications we hope that this trend will change.
Out of the 246 women who were screened for cervical cancer 20 women were referred to Tigoni District Hospital for further testing.
According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), some 2,635 Kenyan women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, with 2,111 dying from the disease, making it the most prevalent cancer among women in the country.
About 38.8 percent of women in the general population are estimated to harbor cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection – a leading cause of cervical cancer. It is appalling that despite most cancer-related deaths in women happening because of cervical cancer, it is the least talked about or even known by people, including women. Uhai For Health Inc is making a milestone by educating and screening women in rural Kenya.