By Michael Gwarisa
Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, has applauded PSMAS Medical Aid Society for championing a week-long wellness outreach program, where over 200 members have been screened for various lifestyle diseases.
The program kicked off on Tuesday, February 24, 2025, and will end on Friday, February 28, 2025. The outreach is being conducted through Premier Lifestyle, a PSMAS wellness program.
Speaking on the sidelines of the screening outreach program at the PSMAS Headquarters in Harare, where she also underwent screening for several conditions, Minister Mutsvangwa emphasized the importance of early detection of lifestyle diseases in saving lives.
It is very important for all women to go through cancer screening, screening for diabetes, and other lifestyle diseases because, most of the time, we find that when these Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are diagnosed, it is already too late for the patient,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
The outreach is targeting women aged 30 and above for cervical cancer screening and women aged 45 and above for breast cancer screening. It is also targeting men aged 45 and above for prostate cancer screening.
“It is important that we continue to go for regular check-ups. This is not the first time I am doing cancer screening, but I ensure that I get screened at least twice a year. Early detection allows for timely diagnosis and treatment. We all know that cancer has different stages, and if we can detect it early when treatment can still be successful, that is what we encourage all our women to do.”
She also applauded the Treasury for disbursing funds towards the procurement of cancer treatment equipment and medicines through local taxes and domestic financing.
Mrs. Chirochierwa Tazvida Hilder, a PSMAS member who benefited from the program, commended the organization for spearheading such an initiative.
“I came here to get screened. It is not wise to avoid screening. I have seen many women die from cervical cancer and breast cancer simply because they were diagnosed too late,” said Hilder.
Meanwhile, PSMAS announced plans to roll out the wellness outreach program to other parts of the country to bring services closer to members.
“At the moment, over the past two days, we have screened close to 200 members for general wellness,” said Dr. Tapiwa Chiworeka, the Population Health and Wellness Programs Coordinator with PSMAS.
“For breast cancer screening, we have screened around 80 women, while cervical cancer screenings stand at about 75. Prostate cancer screenings are at approximately 90. These are the current figures, but we hope more members will take advantage of this service.”
The outreach focuses on Zimbabwe’s three most common cancers. For cervical cancer, they are conducting HPV DNA screening, while prostate cancer screenings involve blood tests for prostate-specific antigens.
“PSMAS has taken a strategic initiative to promote health through early detection and prevention of diseases. We are achieving this through our wellness program, Premier Lifestyle. This benefit is embedded in our members’ benefit structure, ensuring access to these vital screenings,” added Dr. Chiworeka.
Currently, the program offers blood sugar checks, blood pressure checks, and body mass index (BMI) calculations to assess whether individuals are within a healthy weight range or are overweight or obese.
“In addition to tests, we are providing health education based on individual results to help people understand their risk factors and how to prevent these conditions. If a condition is detected, we provide guidance on quick interventions. We have a network in place to refer those in need of treatment and care to the appropriate services,” he said.
The program has been running for over five years, with more than 100,000 members having been screened cumulatively.
