30.06.2012 13:50
IBM yesterday presented to the Kenyan Ministry of Health and the United States Embassy in Kenya a plan towards curbing cervical cancer in the country.
IBM yesterday presented to the Kenyan Ministry of Health and the United States Embassy in Kenya a plan towards curbing cervical cancer in the country.
The plan involves encouraging Kenyan women towards screening for cervical cancer thereby giving them a better chance at saving their lives.
Currently in Kenya only three percent of the women between the ages of 15 and 49 request screening for cervical cancer, IBM reported.
"Given that patient records take many forms and are not necessarily shared between clinics, it is difficult for health providers to be aware of their patients' cervical screening status, or to track health trends related to the disease," IBM detailed.
"IBM recommended that the Government of Kenya use its existing HIV care and treatment network to refer patients for cervical cancer testing. According to the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), women with HIV are four times more likely to develop abnormalities to the cervix, which can lead to cancer."
IBM previously had a 10 member team drawn from six countries to investigate the matter in Kenya, the team was a part of IBM's pro-bono Corporate Service Corps Program, "In which IBM deploys teams of its top employees to municipalities and countries to work on projects that intersect business, technology and society."
"Leveraging the existing HIV care and treatment network to include cervical cancer screening is a resource sharing model that will see more Kenyan women have access to cervical cancer diagnoses and improve their treatment outcomes in the short and long term," said IBM Country General Manager for East Africa Anthony Mwai.
"This is essentially what IBM seeks to achieve -- using data to create intelligent systems that add value to everyday lives," Mwai said.
"Africa is a focus continent for IBM's volunteerism programs. Since 2008, IBM's Corporate Service Corps has deployed more than 500 IBM employees on approximately 44 teams to South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, and Egypt," IBM said in a statement.