Esther Mwamikazi, Clinical mentor at Rwanda NCD Alliance, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“THE UNSUNG HEROES OF MISSION 2027 Part 2
Community health workers leading Rwanda’s fight against cervical cancer and breast cancer.
This is UWANYIRIGIRA ADERTINE a 45 years woman who has been a CHW of Musanvu village
karenge cell, kibungo sector Ngoma district for 9 months.
Before sunrise Adertine sets out on her rounds she carries her mobile phone, a small note book
and a big dream to see her community free from cervical cancer and breast cancer.
Door to door, she greets every woman with a smile asking ‘Mama Chantal have you done your
cervical and breast cancer screening yet?’’ Some say NO she listens to their concerns and
reassures them, answering their many questions and explaining to them the advantage of screening.
She knows that every conversation they share brings Rwanda to a future where no
woman dies of cervical and breast cancer.”
Nzobonankira Euloge, Expert in Women’s Cancer Early Detection/ Breast and Cervical cancer screening at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, shared this post adding:
“Community health workers are one of the pillars of our health system. For they are trained to educate, encourage and more – the community they live in about prevention, detection and promotion of health. Today they are ‘awareness professionals’ in the fight towards cervical cancer elimination and breast cancer early detection.”