60 Clinics Dedicated to Serve the “Because You Are Stronger than Cancer” Campaign for Early Detection of Breast Cancer
DAMASCUS, (ST)-The Syrian Family planning Association has put more than 60 clinics and medical points in the service of the national awareness campaign for early detection of breast cancer launched between October 1st and 30th within the international Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Executive Director of the association Lama al-Mouqe’ clarified on Wednesday that the clinics, which are distributed in different Syrian provinces, will organize over this month awareness meetings on methods of protection from breast cancer, on the factors that may increase infection possibilities and on breast self-exam to detect any tumors.
According to al-Mouqe’, the association campaign also provides clinical medical examination and ensures transportation for women, who want to make breast examination by “mammogram”, to the health centers and hospitals participating in the campaign.
She said that the association always seeks disseminating awareness about breast cancer through awareness meetings with women in all Syrian governorates, noting that many partners have joined the campaign to make it a success.
More than 132 health and social institutions, affiliated to the ministries of health, higher education, defense and interior as well as to the family planning association and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society, have joined the campaign, the campaign supervisors said on Tuesday.
The “Because You Are Stronger than Cancer” Campaign, which will last till the end of October, includes providing free medical and radiological examinations for women and awareness and educational activities.
SANA reported yesterday that as part of the Campaign, women over the age of 40 can have free medical examinations without the need for referral, registration, or clinical examination from tomorrow until the 31st of this month.
The Campaign centers are distributed in 46 centers in Damascus and its Countryside, 30 in Homs, 14 in Lattakia, 12 in Aleppo, 9 in Hama, 7 in Tartous, 5 in Sweida, Daraa, 2 in Quneitra, and one in each of Hasaka and Deir Ezzor.
Vice Chairman of the Syrian Society for Breast Diseases Samia Kanj told SANA that the Campaign aims at educating women about the risks of breast cancer and the importance of periodic screening for early detection, as well as teaching them about self-examination and providing free medical and clinical examinations through the campaign centers in the provinces, in addition to providing medical support to women whose situation require immediate treatment.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women locally with 30 percent according to the National Cancer Registry at the Ministry of Health.
In October, several countries around the world go pink to remind women of early detection of the breast cancer which is considered as the most common type of cancer among women and the fifth most common cause of death with about 1.7 million new diagnosed cases annually and 571,000 deaths, according to the latest global statistics.
In 2018, there were over 2 million new cases around the world.
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, the survival rates among women with breast cancer have generally improved, although they vary from country to another due to early detection rates, access to appropriate medical care, and improved treatment strategies.
Hamda Mustafa