TANZANIA: Our leadership, health and what we need as we celebrate.

For many years she did not know that something was happening in her. Naimadu (not her real name) had no pain and life was as usual. She ruled out a bleeding that was going on for so long. Why? there was no pain, just bleeding. For reasons only known to her she did not talk about it.

The day she opened up to say she was unwell. she was taken to hospital for check up and treatment.. For the longest time she was well again and progress could be seen. She got up again and started working to support her family.

one day in the evening at around seven, her daughter went out of their house. Something bit her and because outside was dark she couldn't see what did that. She ran back inside the house and told her mother about it. Her mother panicked and sort for help from a relative in the neighborhood and they rushed her to hospital. Her daughter was admitted and while she was undergoing treatment, her mother decided to take a walk outside near but away from the medical facility. The relative had gone to the shopping center to buy something. She came back but did not find Naimadu. She tried to call her but her phone kept ringing and not picked.

Outside along the road some young men passing by heard a phone ringing inside a ditch and went for it. They noticed a figure it was a woman. They rushed to the hospital and reported about it and she was collected and taken in for treatment. This was the story of Lolei a women who had been bleeding for many years before the fall, assumed it but later reached out for treatment when it was too late.

A few months after the fall her health started deteriorating and later succumbed to the injuries that had again triggered her previous condition.

What was her condition? Was this condition treatable? why didn't she seek treatment early? Why didn't she talk about it to anyone? This could be among many questions you could be asking yourself.

Naimadu had been diagnosed with cervical cancer which had spread to most parts of her organs. Cervical cancer is treatable. She assumed the bleeding because she was not in any pain at the time. Many women do not talk about their reproductive health problems. Others avoid going to hospital and end up consulting with traditional healers for treatment which wastes time and money. By the time they get to hospital, time is not on their side. .

Due to the effects of climate change many women from our local community have lost on their livelihoods. This change has deprived women of their health. They do not have money to pay for their hospital bills.

Today, through my organization I am educating women like Lolei to know the importance of going for test, screening and treatment to avoid any further deaths brought about by the same. Again, we have created awareness on the prevalence of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Vaccine that will prevent girls from ages 10 - 14 getting cervical cancer. We have trained many women and girls in and out of school on cervical cancer and many of them have received and others are receiving the vaccine. Do you have children ( girls)of your own, grand children (girls), of your relatives, of your neighbors and in your community? Help them or advice them to go for the vaccine. wherever you are around the world take lead and help them take lead of their health. We need to care for our today and future leaders

As a Leader in your community, what do you know about it? Have you gone for test? Do you know about yourself and your health? Can we lead when we are unwell. its not easy. Let us take lead of our Health so that we can continue leading and helping other women in our communities. Remember cervical cancer affects women only and again, it is treatable but only when we take charge early. So, lets take charge for ourselves, family and community.

As we celebrate World Women's Day let us remind ourselves that we can continue celebrating it if we take lead in eradicating cervical cancer..

" Leaders, take charge of our health since it is important for us and others " Quote by Rosemary Ntoipo