Midlands Correspondent
GWERU – Senator representing persons with disabilities Annah Shiri has called for inclusive healthcare services, saying no woman should be denied cancer screening because of her disability.
Speaking at a cancer awareness stakeholder cocktail organised by River Valley Group to mark October’s breast cancer awareness campaign, Shiri said women with disabilities continued to face barriers such as inaccessible examination rooms, unsuitable beds and communication challenges.
“No woman should be denied screening simply because of her disability,” she said, urging Government, healthcare providers and civil society to ensure equal access to cancer services.
Shiri said wheelchair users often struggled to access examination facilities, while women with hearing impairments faced communication barriers due to limited sign language interpretation.
“Women with intellectual disabilities also needed clear and respectful medical information.”
She revealed that she had encountered five women with disabilities who had lost their babies because of inaccessible healthcare facilities, adding that people in remote communities also faced challenges accessing hospital services.
National Council of Disabled Persons of Zimbabwe chairperson Joyce Togarepi welcomed the initiative, saying women with disabilities deserved equal access to healthcare.
“You should continue working with us as we are also people in the community.
“We also raise families and have medical health challenges which need attention,” she said.
Togarepi said a free screening initiative being run by River Valley Group in partnership with Cardio DX Medical Centre and GioRen Family Clinic in Gweru provided an opportunity to address these barriers.
Cardio DX Medical Centre’s Dr Kundai Guveya urged women to prioritise screening, saying early detection could improve treatment outcomes. He encouraged women not to fear healthcare facilities and noted that breast cancer also affects men.
Skyway Medical Centre director Concepter Nyahuye urged women with disabilities to take advantage of the free screening programme and seek medical advice.
“All women with disabilities should come and access free screening for cancer. Whatever they want to know, they should ask,” she said.
River Valley Group chief executive officer Ambassador Smelly Dube said the organisation was extending its medical support programmes to people with disabilities, including assistance with consultations and medication for some beneficiaries.
“We have supported some survivors who have had a second chance at life. We want to extend our free medical programme to people with disabilities,” she said.
Dube said women with disabilities would also be encouraged to access monthly screening through the Smelly and Mncedisi Hand of Compassion initiative, in partnership with local health facilities.
River Valley Group is supporting a free cervical cancer screening programme running from October 27 to 30, 2026, at Cardio DX Medical Centre and GioRen Family Clinic. The initiative targets eligible women aged 21 and above, promoting early detection and improving access to screening.
Meanwhile, Dube and her husband, Mncedisi, recently won a Gold Award in the Top Company in Southern Region category for Mining, Mining Supplies and Extraction at the ZimCEO’s Network Awards held in Bulawayo on Friday.
