Chief Mumena of the Kaonde speaking people of Kalumbila District has been appointed patron for Male breast cancer awareness foundation (MBCF), a Zambian organisation founded in 2024, to address lack of awareness regarding male breast cancer. During their visit to the Mumena Royal Establishment in Kalumbila yesterday, Organisation founder who is also a breast cancer survivor Boaz Musamvu said the appointment follows the traditional leader’s commitment and active participation in community awareness on different societal issues. Mr Musamvu explained that there was a big information gap regarding breast cancer in Males which needed to be closed in Zambia and the Organisation was keen to ensure information reaches everyone through engagements with various stakeholders across the country.
“Most people because of Stigma and lack of information they don’t come out, Since we founded the organisation, we have made efforts to contact Men with breast cancer, we arranged with NHIMA at cancer diseases hospital that each time they come across a Male breast cancer patient they should inform us and to date we are now aware of eight other people that are suffering from the disease but I can bet they are many others out there, information is what they lack, “he said. And Organisation Chairperson Victor Kalala stressed that many people even in the medical fraternity were unaware of the disease and its warning signs which results in unnecessary delays and avoidable premature death in a number of cases. Mr Kalala noted that although breast cancer was less common in men than in women, reliable authorities indicated that the death rate for men was significantly higher in men than in women relatively because of late consultation with medical health experts.
“The death rate is higher in men than in women that’s about 19 percent and this is largely due to late consultations, limited public knowledge and the misconception that breast cancer is a female only disease,” Mr Kalala said. In accepting the appointment as Organisation Patron, Chief Mumena highlighted that communities were aware of other cancers but male breast Cancer was a new thing and he mentioned that he was pleased to be part of the journey that will bring about change and save lives. ” The most prominent cancer among men is prostate cancer and never have I heard of male breast cancer and from the information that has been given the mortality rate is even higher than the females and I am grateful for giving me this opportunity and looking at how severe this thing is and it has touched me, I want to say I accept the role you have given me as your patron and we will be your voice,” he said.
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Chief Mumena expressed gratitude for the partners such as Indo Zambia Bank for coming on board to support the organisation in raising awareness of the less talked about but deadly disease and called on other corporate entities to offer support to the organisation.Meanwhile Indo Zambia Bank representative Hendrix Kanema said the Bank was proud to sponsor the Male Breast Cancer Foundation because it recognised the importance of public health awareness in the social economic wellbeing of the country.Mr Kanema noted that health communities were productive and awareness saves lives and commended the Foundation for its bold mission, its advocacy and its commitment to inclusive health messaging.“The courage to speak openly about Male Breast Cancer is changing the narrative and encouraging men across Zambia to seek help early,” he said. Chief Mumena expressed gratitude for the partners such as Indo Zambia Bank for coming on board to support the organisation in raising awareness of the less talked about but deadly disease and called on other corporate entities to offer support to the organisation. Meanwhile Indo Zambia Bank representative Hendrix Kanema said the Bank was proud to sponsor the Male Breast Cancer Foundation because it recognised the importance of public health awareness in the social economic wellbeing of the country.
Mr Kanema noted that health communities were productive and awareness saves lives and commended the Foundation for its bold mission, its advocacy and its commitment to inclusive health messaging. “The courage to speak openly about Male Breast Cancer is changing the narrative and encouraging men across Zambia to seek help early,” he said.
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