02 Sep 2024

Cancer Association of Botswana (CAB) has received a fully equipped mobile cancer screening cabin valued at over P270 000 from Stanbic Bank Botswana.

Speaking at a handover ceremony on Friday, Stanbic Bank head of client coverage, Mr Rebone Diloro said the mobile cancer screening cabin would be used to provide baseline services such as health screening for cholesterol, hypertension and blood sugar levels.

Mr Diloro said the bank’s dedication to driving the health and well-being of the community, which also included driving the growth in Botswana, was at the core of its purpose.

“We believe in creating sustainable, long-term impacts, through initiatives that touch the lives and transform our society for the better. This mobile cancer screening cabin is one of the many ways that the bank is acting on the belief, demonstrating its resolve to not only respond to immediate health challenges, but also invest in ongoing health education to facilitate the growth of the community,” he said.

Nevertheless, Mr Diloro expressed concern that the country continued to register new cancer cases each year, mostly the common and prevalent cancers, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which included that of breast, lung, colon, rectum and prostate.

In response to the challenge, he said Stanbic Bank found it fit to partner with CAB to make tangible difference through the donation, which also marked a significant stride in the bank’s collective journey towards a healthier Botswana.

“As we gather here, it is crucial to reflect on this pervasive challenge that affects all of us, directly and indirectly, being cancer, as Batswana. I want to believe that each and every one of us has come into contact with someone who has been affected by this disease. I definitely have,” he said.

The cancer mortality rate in Botswana, he said was over 63 per cent, and expressed gratitude for government’s support in the fight against the disease.

He added that currently, there were minimal preventions as the country was faced with many challenges, and thus encouraged other stakeholders to extend a helping hand or render any kind of support required by the cancer association. He said CAB was limited in resources, hence the bank stepped forward in partnership with the association to enhance its team’s efforts and broaden its reach, having seen the remarkable work they had done to fight cancer.

Through partnership and support, he said the impact of life-saving services across the nation could be amplified.

The initiative, he said was yet another step in the bank’s broader commitment to the health and well-being of communities, aligning with its purpose, which was “Botswana is our home, we drive her growth.”

“Growth comes in many ways. It can be economic, health, social uplifting of our people and I think that is very dear to us. Through this donation, we aim to empower and equip CAB to extend their vital services to even the most remote areas in the country, ensuring that no one is left behind or no one is beyond the reach of crucial health screening,” he added.

He indicated that choosing to donate a mobile cancer screening cabin, the bank’s decision was rooted in the importance of accessibility and early detection, in line with the medicinal world’s conviction. Furthermore, he said the state-of-the-art facility would also travel across the country to ensure accessibility of cancer screening to communities that were often underserved.

“Through this initiative, we hope to empower the citizens of Botswana to take charge of their health. Early detection and good health habits can alter the course of this disease and we are here to help and facilitate that change,” he added.

Therefore, he encouraged the public to regularly utilise the cancer screening service and also adopt healthier lifestyles to prevent its onset.

Receiving the donation, CAB executive director, Ms Boitumelo Ndebele urged Batswana to make use of the facility and screen for various types of cancer, highlighting that early detection and diagnosis was important in improving chances of successful treatment, thereby reducing the mortality rate associated with it.

Ms Ndebele added that the mobile cancer screening cabin would also help ensure that all Batswana had access to services that also promoted timely interventions.

She said CAB was currently completing the discussions with the relevant stakeholders on operating times for the cancers screening services at the centre and the public would be notified.

She thus encouraged the public not to take long to go for cancer screening. Meanwhile, among those who attend the donation handover ceremony were CAB stakeholders and its clients which included Leading Edge Marketing Services, who furnished the cabin’s interior, University of Botswana’s Allied Health Professions who would provide cytology services, such as pap smear, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing and screening for other cancers. Ends