Cansa expands into rural areas
2005-05-19 13:33
Polokwane - About 800 more cases of cancer were reported in Limpopo last year, says provincial director of the Cancer Association (Cansa) Marjorie Mongwe.
She said there was an especially high rate of cervical cancer among rural women.
She said Cansa had decided to decentralise its operations from Polokwane to reach the province's rural areas.
"The rural areas cannot be properly serviced from here, so we need people in the province's six districts," she explained.
She said the organisation's budget would have to double from R4m this year to R8m next year to fund the expansion drive.
Currently, government gives them R91 000 a year.
"The rest we have to raise from donations," said Mongwe.
She said offices would be opened in three districts this year and the remaining three districts next year.
Staffing will increase from five people to 40.
Cansa provides patient care at its hospices, community campaigns to promote prevention of the disease, and trains volunteers.