Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon Leverages Technology to Address Cervical CancerBY EHSANOLLAH BAYAT

Dedicated to decreasing cervical and breast cancer-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon leads healthcare and awareness initiatives in a number of countries, including a recently launched program in Tanzania that utilizes mobile technology.

The project helps women gain access to quality cancer care services by covering all the transportation costs for women traveling from rural communities to the Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) in Mwanza and the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Dar es Salaam.

Funded through a grant from the country’s top mobile communication operator, Vodacom Tanzania, the program allows women to use mobile phones to instantly pay for bus tickets via Vodacom’s mobile money service.

The project capitalizes on the fact that more than 70 percent of adults in Tanzania own a mobile phone and at least 90 percent can use mobile financial services.

Transportation Project

Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon has been partnering with local advocates in Tanzania since 2013 and launched its transportation project in 2015 in partnership with Tanzania Marketing and Communication Limited, the national Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and Comprehensive Community-Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania.

In July 2015, the program facilitated transportation for its first five patients with cervical cancer as they travelled from the Iringa Region to the ORCI for radiation treatment.