Women’s Coalition Against Cancer (WOCACA) has stressed the need for women to have easy access to quality healthcare services including cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care.
The call comes as Malawi and other countries commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8, a day set aside each year to recognise the achievements, rights, and dignity of women and girls around the world.
In a statement, WOCACA Executive Director Maud Mwakasungula pointed out that girls need to have unlimited access to education and health information to empower them in protecting their wellbeing and making informed life decisions.
She further stated that women must be prioritized at decision-making tables.
“Policies affecting health systems, community progress, and national priorities must always include women’s voices.
“Women living with cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have valuable experiences that should shape health policies and programs. Their lived realities must be heard, respected, and included in national conversations about healthcare and development,” she said.
Mwakasungula said the struggle for justice, equality, and dignity cannot succeed if women and girls continue facing discrimination, violence, and exclusion.
“It is also important to acknowledge that women living with cancer and other NCDs often face Gender-Based Violence, stigma, and social isolation,” she said.
According to Mwakasungula, some women are abandoned by partners or families after diagnosis, while others are ridiculed, blamed, or treated unfairly—deepening the suffering of those already battling serious health conditions.
“In Malawi and many parts of the world, women bear a heavy burden from diseases such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. Many face late diagnosis, limited treatment access, lack of screening services, and social stigma,” she noted.
WOCACA is a registered NGO established in 2013 to complement government efforts in fighting cancers and other NCDs in Malawi.
By George Mhango
