Del Monte Marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month With Free Screening Camp

More than 1,000 residents of Ithanga Sub-County in Murangá County benefitted from a free one-day medical screening camp hosted by Del Monte Kenya Limited (DMKL) in partnership with the County’s Ministry of Health (MOH) and Family Health Option at Matunda Primary School.

The camp featured free breast and prostate cancer screening, in commemoration of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 146 were screened for breast cancer, 109 for prostate cancer with 1,402 being seen.

The area residents also benefitted from free dental and eye checkups, family planning, pediatric treatment, voluntary counseling, HIV/AIDS Testing (VCT) services, deworming, and general checkups.

“Health is one of our Corporate Social Responsibility pillars, and our objective in hosting this medical camp provides much-needed health services to our neighbors and create awareness about health and hygiene among the people of Murang’a County,” said Stergios Gkaliamoutsas, Managing Director, Del Monte Kenya.

“We are keenly aware that our success as a company is directly related to the health and welfare of those we work with and the people that we serve,” added Gkaliamoutsas. “We look forward to continuing demonstrating the many ways in which DMKL can be a valued, respected, responsible corporate citizen contributing to the economy and the wellbeing of communities where we are present.”

The DMKL medical team and peer educators will also inform area residents about cancer and offer counseling services as part of the company’s partnership with the United Nations Foundation (UNF) Women Empowerment initiative, where it committed to empowering 10,000 women, including its employees and the neighboring community, with reproductive health services and information by 2024.

Under the UNF initiative, the company is currently running five programs including; menstrual health and hygiene, gender-based violence and sexual harassment, reproductive health and cancers, family planning, and STI’S/HIV/AIDS preventive measures, diagnosis, and follow-up.

For the last few years, DMKL has participated in several medical/health initiatives including Ndula Medical Camp, Kandara Medical Camp, Swani Primary School medical outreach, and Ng’araria Primary School Medical Camp in partnership with: MOH Muranga County, Furaha Chemist, LTD, Central Memorial Hospital, Family Health Options Kenya, Cascade Outside Catering, AON Minet, National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).