Why a mobile cancer screening unit
In rural Low-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), there is a big disconnection between the First-Mile suppliers of healthcare services and the Last-Mile end-users. This detachment is due to geographical barriers and shortage of technical, financial, and human resources. These barriers hinder appropriate and timely interventions. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are vital for rural communities as they are in urban areas.
Rates of cervical, breast and oral cancer in Kenya, especially in Meru region are unacceptably high. Survival from these cancers is low, largely due to late presentation of the diseases and lack of early diagnosis and screening programs. The old way of dealing with health issues where people travel long distances in search of medical facilities is one huge obstacle. In view of the large numbers of cancer deaths in Kenya today, we need to rethink new ways of intervention, of bringing the services to the rural people. This involves taking screening and other health services where the people are.
The Mobile Cancer Screening (MCS) model is a means of supporting screening activities, in rural and remote communities, where this infrastructure is lacking. Naledi Initiative’s cancer screening program is focused on increasing this access to health care in townships across the Mt Kenya region, in partnership with key stakeholders IE corporates, county and private hospitals, county government health departments.
Getting screened (early detection) for cancer is one of the most important things one can do to enhance community health. The goal of early detection is to find pre-cancerous or cancer at an early stage before it has had a chance to spread. Also, when found at earlier stages, there are more treatment options.
Cancer control programs are not usually the top priorities of the top-level policymakers in Kenya and international funders. Rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations experience the worst difficulties in accessing cancer prevention and early detection services. Limited resources for cancer control are one of the contributors to cancer health disparities. Deliberate efforts are required to outreach such populations with affordable cancer preventive awareness and early detection services.
The implementation of screening and early detection programs is a cornerstone of cancer prevention. Barriers to cancer screening include lack of provider availability, community access to screening and community demand for screening. Communities in rural areas access to screening is limited by prohibitive costs or inaccessibility of screening clinics due to distance and a lack of knowledge about where to go for screening. Finally, a demand for screening can pose as a barrier in situations
- where individuals are unaware of the benefits of screening
- do not perceive themselves at risk
- fear screening results
The Mobile Screening Unit (MSU) is an innovative alternative to screening in rural areas. A MSU will be made up of a recreational vehicle, staffed by health workers and outfitted with equipment for cancer screening. The use of a MSU both enhances accessibility and convenient locations thus decreasing the distance and travel time needed to access screening services.
ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS
The main challenging issues within the community are ignorance, neglect, cost, fear and distance from the local or county health facilities and lack of motivation to participate in screening program.
AREA OF FOCUS
Promoting disease prevention programs, with the goal of limiting the spread of communicable disease and reducing the incidences of and complications from non-communicable diseases; enhancing the health infrastructure of local communities; and educating and mobilizing communities to help prevent the spread of major diseases.
TARGET GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.
Mount Kenya Region : Meru County, Tharaka Nithi County, Isiolo County, Laikipia County, Nyeri County, Kirinyaga County and Embu County.
KEY OBJECTIVES
Prevention and early detection of common cancers (breast, cervix and prostate) and common metabolic disorders (e.g. diabetes, cholesterol).
Enhancing the health infrastructure of local communities by bringing the Mobile Screening Unit to the village
Educating community members on ways to prevent (and/or limit) the spread of various diseases
PROGRAMS TO BE UNDERTAKEN
Identification of the target population (women between 10-80 years) in the community for both HPV vaccination (for girls of up to 16 years old and screening
Conducting awareness programs (Advocacy)
Educating the community on the causative factors of these cancers and training to identify symptoms
Conducting screening
Cervical cancer screening (Pap smear)
History-Family history of cancer to know the individual risk
Clinical-Body Mass Index for Obesity; Hypertension, Anemia, Diabetes.
Sonomammorgraphy –Ultrasound Screening for breast, cervical ovarian and endometrial cancer
Following-up any abnormalities detected during the screening
Repeating screening at regular intervals
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ON MOBILE CANCER SCREENING TRUCK/BUS
This Mobile cancer screening project will be executed by the Naledi Initiative, a not-for-profit and Non-Government Organization, registered as Community Based Organization based in Kenya. Naledi Initiative will use the not-for-profit Mobile Cancer Screening Unit to ensure increased accessibility and compliance in cancer awareness and screening programs in different communities around the Mount Kenya region. The experienced Naledi Volunteer Team, the Tecnincal Working Group (TWG) comprised of experienced obstetrician/gynecologists, reproductive health nurses and clinicians, and logisticians, is sensitized towards the health needs of the both men & especially women in the target communities.
The screening will include clinical examinations, blood test for causative factors, HPV and PAP smear, and vaccination. If further screening or intervention is required, then the person would be referred to the Counties Referral and Teaching Hospitals or any other Cancer Center within the region.
MANAGEMENT OF MOBILE CANCER SCREENING TRUCK
The Naledi Initiative will be the custodians Mobile Screening Unit (MSU), hence oversee its management and maintenance. The Naledi Initiative, in partnership with other well-wishers will be responsibility for the sustainability of the MSU.
METHODS OF FUNDRAISING
7 Peaks, 7 weeks Fundraising Campaign
The mountains of Africa are majestic. In East Africa, we have three of the highest peaks on the continent. These mountains are the inspiration behind the campaign we have embarked on.
With 7 Peaks 7 Weeks we will raise resources to purchase Equipped Mobile Cancer Screening Unit/truck that can offer free cancer screening to vulnerable people in rural communities. We will climbing these mountains to show how challenging it is to seek medical services for people in rural communities. We want to showcase the ups and downs of the people who are living with cancer, the caregivers and survivors and everyone who is affected by cancer.
All the funds raised through this campaign will be channeled directly to procurement of fully equipped mobile cancer screening truck and cancer screening programs.
Our goal is to inspire corporates, well-wishers, friends and family to donate, make pledges and participate in support of 7 Peaks, 7 Weeks Challenge Fundraising Campaign.
The fundraising is on-going even after the 7 Peaks 7 Week event, until the target of $50,000.- is reached.
SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS
This is an opportunity to enhance your Corporate Social Responsibility call. We want your company to be part of this community that is changing the cancer narrative in Kenya. We cannot do this alone and your support will help to save lives and give hope to vulnerable communities and people, especially women, who cannot afford or access the services of cancer screening. By doing this, we will promote healthy lives and the well-being of Kenyans no matter where they come from. Our budget relies on the generosity of our sponsors. Your support will make us stronger in our fight against cancer and give an opportunity to people in remote rural areas to know about cancer prevention and get free screening services.
PREVIOUS FREE CANCER SCREENING MEDICAL CAMP
We have witnessed high turnout of people for screening in our previous free cancer screening medical camps. This is true evidence of how desperate people are, especially women in rural areas. For instance October 9th, 2021 camp was attended by almost 2,000 people in a single day which proved the truth of our hypothesis of how people are in need of screening and medical services in rural areas.
We have also realized in our outreach that communities in rural areas are characterized by limited access to cancer prevention and early detection services, even for the commonest types of cancer. Limited resources for cancer prevention is one of the contributors to cancer health disparities. We have explored the feasibility and benefit of conducting outreaches in partnership with local communities using the “asset-based community development (ABCD)” model to reach them in their community.
DATA ANALYSIS OF PREVIOUSE FREE CANCER SCREENING MEDICAL CAMP.
| Date Counties | Counties | Constituency & Venue | Number of people attended. | Types of Cancer & Number of people Screened. other Health Services offered | Suspicious Cases which were referred |
| March 13th 2021 | Tharaka-Nithi County | Tharaka. Kamatungu primary school | Male-153 Female-347 | Cervical &Breast Cancer-205 | Breast Cancer-5 +V-2 |
| October 9th 2021 | Meru County | Imenti South Muutiokiama Health Center | Male-403 Female-1,597 | Cervical &Breast Cancer-150 Prostate Cancer-37 | 15 women were referred to Meru teaching and referral hospital Cervical Cancer-10. +V -1 Breast Cancer-5 +V -2 |
| March 5th 2022 | Meru County | Buuri East Maili Saba | Male-254 Female-1,554 Male=810 Female=1,498 Total=4,308 | Cervical & Breast Cancer-708 Prostate Cancer-100 Male=137 Female=1,063 Total=1,200 | 19 women were referred to Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital. Cervical Cancer-13 Breast Cancer-6 Prostate Cancer-0 |
| October 8th 2022 | Meru County | Buuri West. Kisima-Gundua | Male 204 Female 327 Children 30 Total 561 | Cervical & Breast Cancer-284 Male PSA Test-74 | Cervical cancer-+v 4 and 3 suspicious. Breast-1 abnormalities Prostate -+v 3 |
THE BUDGET FOR MOBILE CANCER SCREENING UNIT
| No. | Description | Supplier | Category | Local cost (Kes) | Cost in (USD) |
| Awareness Accessories | – | Equipment | |||
| Ultrasound machines | – | Equipment | |||
| Biochemistry Semi Auto analyzer | – | Equipment | |||
| Screening Medical Instruments | – | Equipment | |||
| Screening Medical Instruments | – | Equipment | |||
| Bus Chassis | – | Equipment | |||
| Bus Body | – | Equipment | |||
| Bus Air conditioners | – | Equipment | |||
| Power Generator | – | Equipment | |||
| Roof Mounted Air conditioner | – | Equipment | |||
| Transportation | – | Equipment | |||
| Insurance | – | Equipment | |||
| Solar Panels | |||||
| Doctors, Nurses, health educationist and driver | |||||
| Total |
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