Rwanda Mother of Five Beats Cervical Cancer After Screening

When Anathalie Mukamanzi walked into a screening campaign at Masaka Hospital in May 2025, she thought she was just tired from farmwork. The 50-year-old mother of five had endured four months of abdominal pain and bleeding, but never imagined it could be cancer.

Health workers encouraged all mothers to get checked that day. Mukamanzi decided to join them, hoping to understand why her body felt so weak.

A pelvic exam revealed abnormal cervical lesions. Three weeks later, doctors confirmed cervical cancer.

"I told my children I was going to die, that they would be left alone," she recalled. Her eldest son prayed with her over the phone and told her she couldn't give up.

Mukamanzi was referred to Butaro District Hospital for imaging, then transferred to Rwanda Military Referral and Teaching Hospital for surgery. Doctors performed a 12-hour hysterectomy to remove the cancerous tissue.

Two weeks after surgery, follow-up tests showed she was recovering well. She now returns monthly for monitoring to ensure the cancer hasn't returned.

Today, Mukamanzi has regained her strength and continues farming to support her five children. She speaks openly about her experience, urging women not to ignore changes in their bodies.

The Ripple Effect

Rwanda is racing to eliminate cervical cancer by 2027, three years ahead of the World Health Organization's global deadline. Between 600 and 800 Rwandan women are diagnosed each year, with nearly 600 deaths.

The country has already met one major target: 90 percent of girls under 15 are now vaccinated against HPV, the virus that causes most cervical cancers. However, screening among women aged 30 to 49 remains low at just 31 percent.

Nine districts have already reached elimination targets. About 712,000 women still need screening to meet the national goal.

Rwanda is expanding screening to 80 percent of health facilities and introducing Gardasil 9, a vaccine protecting against nine HPV types. The Ministry of Health estimates $27.8 million will be needed to achieve the 2027 targets, including funding for two new radiotherapy centers.

Dr. Theoneste Maniragaba, Director of the Cancer Programme at Rwanda Biomedical Center, said cervical cancer is treatable when caught early. Women like Mukamanzi are living proof that screening saves lives.