Health officials screen over 700 women for cancer in Côte d’Ivoire
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Health officials in the Séguéla district of Côte d’Ivoire screened more than 700 women for breast and cervical cancers during the Octobre Rose campaign.
Dr. Zoni Kouapeu Patrice, the departmental director of Health, Public Hygiene, and Universal Health Coverage, announced the results during a closing ceremony at the Dominique Ouattara urban health center. The campaign took place throughout October across various local facilities, including the rural health centers of Worofla and Tiemassoba.
In addition to screenings, the initiative included a vaccination program against the human papillomavirus, which causes most cervical cancers. Dr. Coulibaly Karna, a gynecologist-obstetrician, urged the community to vaccinate girls starting at age nine to protect them from future health complications. Local residents participated in the event through a four-kilometer walk, fitness sessions, and blood donations. Bakayoko Hadja Toumoutou Aminata shared a personal account of losing a niece to breast cancer to encourage other women to seek regular checkups.
Officials aim to maintain this awareness and promote early detection beyond the month of October.
