Harnessing Resources from the Education Sector to Create Cancer Awareness: An initiative of Childhood Cancer Initiative Kenya
Over the recent past, on-going efforts that are being made towards realisation of UN Strategic Development Goals (SDG’s) No. 3 ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ has been seriously hampered due to the effects caused by COVID 19 pandemic. Of particular concern is the diminished level of cancer awareness among populations that have been devastated by the pandemic. In many places especially in low-resource settings, health-care priorities changed during the onset of the pandemic and allocations that were meant for the provision of information, education and communications (IEC) to foster cancer awareness dropped drastically.
We are yet to witness full recovery of cancer awareness programs which are crucial in efforts aimed at lessening the burden of cancer. To this end, Childhood Cancer Initiative in collaboration with Inspire2Live are working towards launching a program for creation of cancer awareness that will enlist the support and participation of primary and secondary school teachers in sharing and disseminating important cancer information to their constituents. The rationale behind this initiative stems from the excellent social standing that teachers generally enjoy along with the fact that by virtue of their profession, teachers are the most well placed group within any community to share such knowledge.
Discussions are on-going to formulate a model for creation of cancer awareness through primary and secondary school teacher forums which include among other openings: (a) in-service training program modules (b) periodic professional association members gatherings as well as (c) mainstreaming (incorporating) cancer awareness into the existing in-service teacher training curricula. Given the huge number of teachers and their favourable geographic distribution in Kenya, Childhood Cancer Initiative together with Inspire2Live is working tirelessly to initiate this exciting collaborative program that is set to harness resources from the education sector and make a big difference in levels of cancer awareness.
Joseph Omach
Childhood Cancer Initiative (CCI)
Patient Advocate Inspire2Live