April 25, 2014 marks a major milestone for CCC and the women of Kisumu County! The mortality rate for cervical cancer is equivalent to that of maternal mortality in this area of western Kenya. Since cervical cancer is nearly 100% preventable if a woman is screened and then treated with cryotherapy, it is life-saving. This intervention is necessary and critical.
After an intense week of theoretical and practical education on the single visit “See and Treat” procedure, 14 nurses and two doctors were certified in this simple, effective, and life-saving method. The graduation ceremony took place today at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu, Kenya.
Kisumu County is one of the largest counties in Kenya. The Ministry of Health representative announced at the graduation that there was no facility in the entire county that offered screening and cryotherapy for precancerous cervical lesions prior to our visit. Imagine how proud the CCC Team felt at that moment! For me personally, while simultaneously exhausted and exhilarated, I have never had a prouder professional moment.
In this one serious week of direct, hands-on training, we established four sustainable, ongoing clinics: Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Gita Health Center, Migosi Health Center, and Kodiaga Health Center.
However, more work needs to be done in this region of western Kenya. CCC is planning on returning several times in the next year to help fight the epidemic of cervical cancer in this resource-poor country by opening several more clinics in western Kenya.