For many women living in rural communities across Midwestern Uganda, cervical cancer screening was once out of reach. Long distances to health facilities, limited awareness, and inadequate services meant that many women only sought help when the disease had advanced.
Through the Screening Project for Advanced Cervical Cancer Awareness and Detection (SPACC), the Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme (URDT) is changing that reality. With support from the Female Cancer Foundation, the three-year project that started in 2024 has screened 17,838 women, bringing lifesaving screening, treatment, and awareness services closer to rural communities.
One of the women whose life was transformed is Amizero Keremantina, a 45-year-old mother of eight from Kibaale District. For months, she endured persistent abdominal pain without knowing the cause. It was only after a close friend encouraged her to get screened that she visited Maisuka Health Centre III.
“My friend had experienced similar symptoms and urged me not to ignore them. That gave me the courage to seek help,” Amizero says.
Health workers screened her and confirmed she was VIA positive. Although the diagnosis came as a shock, she received immediate treatment, counselling, and regular follow-up care.
“The health worker assured me I would be okay. That gave me hope,” she recalls.
Today, Amizero has fully recovered and now encourages other women to seek screening early, believing that timely detection can save lives.
Amizero’s story reflects the impact of URDT’s community-based approach to healthcare. Recognising that many rural women face significant barriers in accessing health facilities, SPACC conducts regular outreach services in remote communities where healthcare is least accessible.
According to Shamim Namagembe, the SPACC Project Manager, the project focuses on reaching women in remote communities where access to health facilities is limited. Through community outreaches, more women are receiving cervical cancer services closer to home.
“We closely monitor women who test positive to ensure they receive the treatment they need and return for follow-up care. Early detection and continuous support are critical in preventing cervical cancer from progressing,” she says.
So far, 1,278 women have tested VIA positive, with 1,262 successfully treated, while 16 women requiring specialised care have been referred to National referral hospitals and Uganda cancer institute for further management. To ensure long-term access to these services, the project has also mentored more than 67 health workers in cervical cancer screening and treatment.
However, the need remains great. Midwestern Uganda has an estimated 500,000 women aged 25–50 years who require regular cervical cancer screening.
Ms. Aisha Justine Tumwebaze, Health Educator at Kagadi District Local Government, says URDT has played a vital role in complementing government efforts to extend cervical cancer services to rural communities. She calls for further decentralisation of screening services so that every woman can access care closer to home.
For women like Amizero, the SPACC project has offered more than healthcare it has restored hope, protected families, and empowered survivors to become advocates for early screening. Their stories are a reminder that when healthcare reaches rural communities, lives are saved.
