Anathalie Mukamanzi never imagined that a routine health campaign would save her life. For more than four months, the 50-year-old mother of five had lived with persistent lower abdominal pain and prolonged vaginal bleeding.
She brushed it off as exhaustion from daily work and pushed on. But when a cervical cancer screening campaign reached Masaka Hospital on May 15, 2025, she decided to get checked.
ALSO READ: HPV self-testing is helping women catch cervical cancer early
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"Health workers encouraged all mothers to undergo screening. Since I was already in pain and bleeding continuously, I thought it was better to be examined," she said.
During a pelvic exam, clinicians noticed abnormal cervical lesions and asked her to return after three weeks for histopathology results.
When she came back, Mukamanzi sensed something was wrong.
"Before telling me the results, they asked how I would cope if it turned out to be cancer. The way they spoke made me very afraid," she recalled.
The diagnosis confirmed cervical cancer.
Overwhelmed, she stepped outside the hospital and called her children.
"I told them I was going to die, that they would be left alone since their father died about 15 years ago and I was their only provider," she said. "My eldest son prayed for me and told me I had to be strong, that I couldn't just give up."
Cervical cancer develops in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus, and is most often caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). When detected early, doctors say it is treatable.
ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda's push to eliminate cervical cancer ahead of WHO targets
Mukamanzi was referred to Butaro District Hospital in Burera, the country's main center for cancer care, where imaging scans were carried out to locate the tumor. She was later transferred to Rwanda Military Referral and Teaching Hospital in Kanombe for surgery.
She spent a week in the ward preparing for the operation. On the day of surgery, she entered the operating theater at 8 a.m. and came out around 8 p.m.
"When I woke up, my whole body was covered in bandages," she said.
Doctors performed a hysterectomy, removing the cancerous tissue and affected organs. After the operation, she was placed on medication and closely monitored.
Two weeks later, follow-up tests showed she was recovering well.
She was then put on a schedule of monthly reviews to ensure the cancer had not returned.
"I was told I was fine. Seeing other patients at Butaro helped me understand how serious cancer is. I saw women who had lost their breasts and others who were suffering far more than I was," she said.
Before her diagnosis, Mukamanzi knew little about cervical cancer beyond its reputation as a deadly disease. She remembers feeling constantly weak and fatigued and assumed she had anemia.
Today, she has regained her strength and continues farming to support her five children, sometimes with help from neighbors and relatives. She now speaks openly about her experience, urging women not to ignore changes in their bodies.
"Cancer can be treated if it's found early," she said.
Mukamanzi lives in Rwamagana District and uses her story to encourage other women to take part in screening campaigns.
Rwanda's push to eliminate cervical cancer
Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in Rwanda. Data from the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) show that between 600 and 800 women are diagnosed each year, with nearly 600 dying from the disease.
Rwanda aims to eliminate cervical cancer by 2027, three years ahead of the World Health Organisation's global targets. These include vaccinating 90 percent of girls against HPV by age 15, screening 70 percent of women by ages 35 and 45, and treating 90 percent of women diagnosed with cervical disease.
According to the RBC, Rwanda has already met the HPV vaccination target, with 90 percent of girls fully vaccinated. Screening among women aged 30 to 49 remains low at 31 percent, while treatment coverage stands at 82 percent.
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Dr. Theoneste Maniragaba, Director of the Cancer Programme at RBC, said HPV vaccination began in 2011 through schools, protecting girls and women under 30.
"In 2024, Rwanda introduced a single-dose HPV vaccine for girls and plans to roll out Gardasil 9 for adult women," he said. "The vaccine protects against nine HPV types responsible for most cervical cancer cases."
He added that screening services have expanded, with 80 percent of health facilities now offering cervical cancer screening. Nine districts, including Gasabo, Kicukiro, Rubavu and Nyamagabe, have already reached elimination targets.
However, more than 712,000 women aged 30 to 49 still need to be screened to meet the national goal.
The Ministry of Health estimates that about $27.8 million will be needed to achieve the 2027 targets. Of this, $17.8 million will fund screening efforts, $8 million will support the establishment of two radiotherapy centers equipped with LINAC machines and brachytherapy, and $2 million will strengthen surgical capacity and the health workforce.
