In commemoration of the World Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Vezeeta, Africa’s leading digital health platform, has announced that it will be offering free breast cancer scans, free mammograms and subsidized cancer treatment for women during the Month.
According to Nana Frimpong, vice president for Africa, the initiative is intended to help increase awareness about breast cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Nigeria, as well as provide critical intervention for patients and survivors of the disease.
He said “breast cancer is a global scourge that adversely affects the lives of many women and those around them, often with terminal outcomes. Statistics show that it is the most common type of cancer affecting women and the second most common type of cancer overall, hence the need for a collaborative approach to mitigating the impact of the disease.”
According to Frimpong, Vezeeta is committed to ensuring that Nigerians have the resources and support they need to live their best lives. We also know that when detected early, breast cancer is easier to treat successfully and the five-year survival rate rapidly declines as the disease progresses.
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“This is why we are partnering with key stakeholder groups to drive awareness about the disease all through the Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We will also be offering subsidized treatment for a breast cancer survivor, free breast scans and free mammograms in designated centers across Lagos.
“Additionally, we realize that beyond the medical condition, breast cancer presents other complications to the wellbeing of survivors, their caregivers, households, survivors and society at large. We are therefore launching a socially inclusive campaign that will give the public opportunity to nominate the cancer survivor whose treament will be subsidized.
“It is our hope that these efforts, among others, will open up the space for frank discussions about the disease including topics such as stigma, insecurity and the sense of loss that patients and survivors typically contend with,” he added.
Founded in 2012, Vezeeta is a digital healthcare platform that enables seamless connection between users, healthcare providers and medical services. The platform enhances access to quality medical care by allowing users to search doctors by specialty, location and price for both hospital visits and virtual consultation. Over six million users are registered on the platform across Egypt, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Levant, Kenya and Nigeria.
