Over 2,500 women screened for cancer in Arusha outreach campaign

More than 2,500 women from remote areas of Arusha District Council have benefited from free treatment and early screening for breast and cervical cancer, as health experts call for intensified awareness campaigns to encourage more women to seek screening services. The women were reached through a cancer screening campaign launched on 4 May, 2026 under the East Africa Cross-Border Women’s Cancer Initiative. The regional project is being implemented through a partnership involving Aga Khan Health Services East Africa in Kenya and Tanzania, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), Aga Khan University (AKU) and France’s Curie Research Institute. The initiative is funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), the Gates Foundation and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The project coordinator, Dr Sarah Maongezi, said “Our goal is to leave behind a sustainable system that will continue supporting women even after the project ends.”