Namibia has launched the Breast and Prostate Cancer Research Project in collaboration with the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium.

The project aims at promoting health and early detection as well as identifying factors that contribute to breast and prostate cancer.

The project will be carried out by different countries in the private and public sectors to encourage a healthy society.

The research will explore effective means to prevent, capture data, diagnose, and treat breast and prostate cancer.

It will further increase capacity building, knowledge transfer, and training for countries participating in the project.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, says the project is part of efforts to reduce the impact of breast and prostate cancer on communities.

Shangula says that the collaboration is between renowned academic and research institutions such as the Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, the Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and AC3 Partners with one of the major pharmaceutical companies in the world, Pfizer.

"In Namibia, the incidence of breast and prostate cancers is alarmingly high. According to the Namibian Cancer Registry, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, accounting for nearly 20% of all cancers in females, while prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, with an incidence rate of 24.4% of persons per 100 000 population."

One of the survivors who battled cancer, Pamela Karimbue, shares her journey.

She says what gave her hope was family, a positive mindset, and seeing every day as one step toward healing.

The Executive Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ben Nagombe, says the project is aimed at improving health in the country to fight non-communicable diseases.