Ministry of Health launches national awareness campaign about breast cancer

October is the month of awareness of the importance of the early detection of breast cancer and to remind women of the necessity of performing periodic medical tests for early detection of the disease as breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among .

In Syria, the Ministry of Health is making great efforts to spread the culture of early detection of breast cancer by holding health and awareness events and seminars on the method of breast self-examination and its importance, conducting diagnostic tests in specialized centers, and the necessity of benefiting from the free services provided during October “The Pink Month”, according to the Director of Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health Dr. Razan Al-Tarabishi.

Dr. Al-Tarabishi stated that the Ministry launched a national awareness campaign about breast cancer, and this year it comes under the slogan “Early screening…safety and reassurance,” and focuses on conducting the necessary tests and investigations for women over the age of 20 to undergo a clinical test, and for women over the age of 40 to undergo a mammogram. She referred to holding seminars on the latest scientific developments on breast tumors.

Dr. Al-Tarabishi indicated that all centers that provide reproductive health services are participating in the campaign, and their number is about 980 health centers in various governorates, and all of them will provide mammogram, education and awareness services. She indicated that the number of health facilities in which mammography machines are available is 33, distributed in various governorates and provides services free of charge during the campaign and throughout the year.

Breast cancer occurs in every country in the world among women of all ages after puberty, and infection rates increase with getting older.

According to the World Health Organization, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer during the year 2020, and 685,000 deaths were recorded worldwide. At the end of 2020 there were 7.8 million women alive who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past five years, which makes it the most common type of cancer in the world.

Inas Abdulkareem