Tanga residents urged to use health camp for check up

What you need to know:

  • City residents here have been urged to turn up in large numbers during a-three-day clinic to test prostate cancer.

Tanga. Organisers of a health camp have called out to city residents to use the opportunity and undergo prostate cancer screening now going on at Nguvumali Health Centre.

Speaking on the first day of the three-day event jointly organised by the Dar es Salaam-based Ilala Afya Centre, the Tanga Lions Club and the Tanga City Council, the City Medical Officer in Charge, Dr Esaya Mwasubira, said people should only think about the importance of checking their health instead of dwelling on how such tests were conducted.

“The methodology of using a finger to feel the size of the prostate is just one of several that are there. So, people should stop spreading unfounded claims, which only serve to spread fear among people. Our health must come first before anything else,” Dr Mwasubira said.

On the incidence of prostrate problems, Dr Mwasubira said that data on the disease was not available but hoped that the current tests would form the basis for collection of the same.

“We believe there were quite a number of people suffering from such problems but the problem has been how to coax them to come to health facilities test,” he said.

Other health conditions to be checked during the three-day camp will include sight, diabetes, hypertension, asthma and breast cancer.

Dr Mwasubira said that the response has so far been good as over 500 people registered on the first day. “They come not only from Tanga City but also from Mkinga and Muheza districts,” he said.

Tanga Lions Club ex-chairman Godfrey Sawe said the club, which has been conducting eye check camps, have now decided to deal with non-infectious diseases which are fast becoming a major health problem in Tanzania.

“That’s why we decided to team up with Ilala Afya Centre and the City Council to deal with those diseases saying it has been discovered that sight deficiencies are sometimes caused by diseases like diabetes and hypertension,” he said.

Mr Sawe said that their mission was to unlock potentials of community members to take part actively in income generation activities. He said that such diseases have been a major hurdle facing people and causing them to fail to engage in economic activities.

He said that over 1,000 people were expected to use the opportunity. He said the Club will also distribute 800 spectacles and those who would be found to have cataract problems would be referred for surgery next week in Muheza where another camp will held.

Speaking at the occasion, Ilala Afya Centre chief nurse Wema Obilo said the reason for the health camps was to help patients who have no access to health facilities to access such services.

“There are so many people suffering from diseases like diabetes, hypertension, asthma and sight problems but they are still at home,” she said, adding that the camps aim at encouraging people to check their health.

She said that the camp has been sponsored by several donors including, Mohammed Enterprises, DTB, Ashton, Sayona, Power Computers, Samiro Pharmaceuticals, BOSS, Vital Supplies, Assad Associates and JD Pharmacy.