Following a pandemic-induced hiatus, the Cancer Awareness Training programme (PrevaTrain) restarted at KCMC on May 19th. In a well-attended event, 31 healthcare workers from the Machame district enjoyed a one day training course covering subjects including identifying early signs of cancer, distinguishing between different types of cancer, the diagnostic pathway and cancer in children.
Coach Luci, an oncology nurse from the Cancer Care Centre at KCMC, told attendees that children often present with nonspecific swelling in their faces, are tired and generally listless. "If you have these symptoms, you should also think about cancer, particularly Burkitt Lymphoma, and contact the CCC," she urged. "If cancer is detected early enough, a cure is often possible, especially with Burkitt Lymphoma”.
PrevaTrain was implemented in October 2018 by the Cancer Care Centre (CCC) at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) to increase cancer awareness among healthcare workers in Tanzania. The campaign targets community health care workers (CHWs) and health care providers (DHCWs) in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. CHWs and DHCWs are addressed and encouraged to refer cancer patients as soon as possible to the Cancer Care Centre for further diagnosis and treatment.
