The Organizations Running Movember Awareness Campaign In Kenya

by Ekai Kaoo  - September 26, 2022

In Kenya, most Kenyans are aware that October is the month that signifies Breast Cancer awareness and several campaigns in Kenya have been held throughout the years to support the victims of cancer in Kenya, and also raise awareness to ensure early detection of cancer, and it mostly is signified with the pink ribbon. But if you ask any ordinary mwanainchi in Kenya when the Testicular cancer or prostate cancer awareness month is in Kenya, many will look at you with blank faces or give wild guesses.

November is the worldwide male cancer awareness month that seeks to raise awareness on testicular and prostate cancer which are the two that most affect men. Testicular cancer in Kenya is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system and has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers: a five-year survival rate in excess of 90 percent overall, and almost 100 percent if it has not spread. Testicular cancer in Kenya is more common in younger men, aged between 15 and 40 years, though it can occur at any age.

The Movember prostate cancer awareness campaign in Kenya has combined efforts from many organizations and individuals in Kenya to increase cancer awareness among men in Kenya. Though with the lack of widespread awareness, Kenyans are slowly becoming aware of the need to take various steps to prevent testicular and prostate cancer and media outlets and medical practitioners are trying their best to disseminate the information to the greater population in Kenya.

In Kenya, awareness of male cancer is mainly done by the survivors of the cancer such as current Kisumu Senator in Kenya, Anyang’ Nyong’o who has helped boost awareness among men in Kenya. Since then, people have come forward to be tested especially through wellness checks funded by  various insurance companies in Kenya and corporates such as Africa Cancer Association http:/www.africacancerfoundation.org/ in Kenya and Med Access in Kenya which is located in Landmark Plaza on Argwings Kodhek Road in Nairobi. The First Lady of Kenya also urged Men in Kenya to go for cancer screening during the launch of cancer of the reproductive organs awareness month.  This is together with the ministry of health in Kenya that affirms prostate cancer in Kenya is the most common form of the disease afflicting men in Kenya, besides Kaposi’s sarcoma, a HIV-associated skin cancer. The Movember campaign in Kenya is being held by medical officials across Kenya.

The Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board of Kenya has also set fee guidelines for 2013, a prostate cancer tests should cost between Sh2,100 and Sh3,600 in Kenya. The prostate cancer test in Kenya is available in level E & level F specialised laboratories found in various. One can also go for full screening and diagnosis at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Kenya that has the most equipped cancer center in Kenya.

The prostate cancer awareness is being popularized, globally, with an awareness campaign known as ‘Movember’. The spirit of Movember in Kenya is to have men grow moustaches during the month as part of raising awareness about the cancers that affect men. The Movember campaign in Kenya is advocating for early detection of cancer among men in Kenya.

Just as a breast exam in Kenya, Movember campaign advises Kenyans to do a Testicular self-exam in Kenya to help in early detection. The Movember campaign in Kenya inform men all over the country to check for prostate cancer every month. Most instructions on how to self examine for testicle cancer in Kenya can be found online on medical sites in Kenya such as; http://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/testicular-cancer-self-exams-at-home and http://www.healthcommunities.com/testicular-cancer/testes-self-exam.shtml

Kenyans can also go to the nearest Hospitals in Kenya such as Kenyatta hospital in Nairobi which is located on Ragati Road in Upper Hill in Nairobi, Nairobi hospital which is located on Argwings Kodhek Road in Hurlingham part of Nairobi or any other government hospital or private hospital in Kenya that can help you with the process.

 The Movember campaign in Kenya advocates that if at all it is possible, all men in Kenya should have their doctors examine their scrotum/testes at least once a year whether or not they have a problem, as part of routine physical examination in Kenya to help detect and ensure that the reproductive organs are in a healthy state. However, if you do notice a problem during yourself examination in Kenya, between annual check-ups, men in Kenya are advised to go to the doctor for further care immediately.

So what can we Kenyans do to raise awareness on male cancers? Well it all starts with you, for the men you now know what to do to ensure a healthy future and for the women spread the word to a brother, friend  and any male that you are close to, and together we can manage cancer as a nation before it’s too late, and with that have a healthy ‘Movember ‘.

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