CCC was astounded to find that we had an exhilarating first day in Nairobi visiting the Langata Women’s Clinic located within the prison. We learned that many of the 600 to 700 women were either waiting trial or had committed minor crimes but had no other choice but to serve their sentences at Langata.
We knew from consulting with the International Medical Corps office in Nairobi that many women prisoners had tested positive during cervical cancer screening for pre-cancerous lesions (cervical dysplasia, CIN I, CIN II, and CIN III) and many, many more women were waiting to be examined. Over 75 women were VIA-positive, but had no means of receiving cryotherapy.
Neither the prison nor the Ministry of Health is able to provide these women with the cryotherapy necessary to freeze their lesions and keep them from developing cancer. That’s why CCC was there.
We began the morning meeting the impressive prison chief and her staff. They heartily welcomed the idea of having CCC return in 2014 to set up a clinic at the prison, train their nurses and empower the prison to provide its own cryotherapy operation in the future.
Next we had a full tour of the prison, a pleasant facility with gardens and attractive housing. Dr. Patricia Gordon spoke with two large groups of prisoners about CCC’s plans and was greeted with applause, song, cheers and some African dancing, all unrehearsed. One prisoner, soon to be released, who was positive, asked if she could return to the prison for cryotherapy after her release. How is that for impact?
The prison has a full infant and child care operation for pregnant prisoners and new mothers. The children are allowed to stay with their mothers until they are four. The prison food and services are so good that some pregnant women living in the neighboring Kibera slum commit small crimes in order to be admitted to the prison for childbirth and postnatal care.
CCC left the prison feeling a strong sense of challenge and purpose. Our goal is to reach the women of the developing world by establishing sustainable, ongoing Cure Cervical Cancer “See and Treat” clinics. The Langata Clinic within the prison will serve not just the incarcerated women: it is for all needy women in the local region. As one prison guard stated, “When CCC returns to Langatta, you can see on their fasces, you are giving them hope.”