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Herald Reporter
Cassava Smartech’s Maisha Health has unveiled a new partnership with Cancerserve Trust, which seeks to assist Zimbabweans living with cancer.

Through the partnership, Maisha has committed a portion of its monthly revenue to supporting cancer treatment of patients in Zimbabwe’s public hospitals through the Cancerserve Trust.

Announcing the ground-breaking partnership, Cassava Smartech CEO Mr Eddie Chibi said his company would continue using innovation to address pressing societal issues and to support worthy causes. “Cassava Smartech will, through its brands, continue to do well by doing good; to use innovation to offer sustainable, technology-driven solutions that impact people’s lives — including those fighting cancer or undergoing cancer treatment,” said Mr Chibi.

Cancerserve Trust founder and chair Dr Anna Nyakabau hailed Maisha for partnering with her Trust, and called upon other corporates and organisations to follow suit.

“We are very grateful to Maisha for this partnership and call upon other corporates to join hands with Cancerserve Trust in bridging the funding gaps in cancer awareness, screening and treatment in this country,” said Dr Nyakabau.

She added that the Maisha-Cancerserve Trust fund would primarily target breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancers, which are the most prevalent. The partnership comes as Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world this month in commemorating World Breast Cancer awareness month, which is also recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Dr Nyakabau said cancer prevalence was high in Zimbabwe, and is estimated to be affecting over 36 in every 100 000 people, compared to around six in every 100 000 in developed nations.  She believes the partnership with Maisha would help bring that ratio down. WHO says the majority of breast cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, where most women with breast cancer are diagnosed in its late stages mainly due to lack of awareness on early detection as well as due to barriers to treatment and health services.

Maisha leverages innovative mobile technologies to raise awareness, promote wellness and enhance health services delivery, reaching over a million people that are subscribed to the services in Zimbabwe and other African countries.

Dr Nyakabau said the partnership with Maisha would strengthen Cancerserve Trust’s vision of bringing together corporates, medical professionals, cancer survivors and healthcare stakeholders to raise awareness of the various cancer ailments and lobby for resources to stem the tide of the disease in Zimbabwe.

Maisha delivers daily heath education and advice for healthy living and wellness via the mobile phone. By subscribing to the service, users get the most relevant and tailored health education on a wide variety of topics, ranging from stress management, weight loss, oral health, diabetes and many more, in English and in local languages.

Working with local cancer specialists, Maisha has developed a new cancer content package that raises cancer awareness, prevention, early detection and treatment. To subscribe to Cancer Tips on Maisha Health, the public can dial *147# and receive valuable cancer prevention and treatment education, as well as help to raise funds for cancer treatment in Zimbabwe.