Dubai, October 17: The Dubai Health Authority has introduced mandatory breast cancer awareness sessions for its 5,855 women employees.
October is breast cancer awareness month and screenings are being encouraged across the country.
The RAK Hospital, too, is conducting a month-long campaign on breast cancer awareness in its efforts to fight the malady, which is reportedly increasing.
“Conducting awareness sessions for 5,855 women is a time-consuming task and we want to ensure that the sessions are worthwhile and useful. Therefore, we are implementing the program in phases,” said Farida Al Khaja, planning manager in the Business Development and Project Department, Hospital Services Sector.
While the awareness sessions are mandatory for all women DHA employee to attend, the screening programs are voluntary.
The Dubai programme involves the training of 120 women volunteers, including physicians, paramedics and nurses, to educate patients about breast cancer.
The awareness sessions, which end in February 2010 and will be followed by voluntary screening sessions will take place from March until August 2010.
The Ras Al Khaimah campaign is intended to educate women in the emirate on the importance of regular checkups for breast cancer in early detection and treatment, according to Dr. Arpan David, chief operations officer, RAK Hospital.
“Early detection of breast cancer is critical in combating the disease which kills thousands of women every year,” said Dr. David.
“At RAK Hospital, our aim is to reach to as many women as possible with this campaign and provide them essential information about the dreaded cancer infection.”
The campaign, which started early this month and continues until October 31, offers free mammographys, or radiographic breast scans, and free bone bone scans for osteoporosis to all women above 40 years of age. Older women are more prone to the disease.
In addition to the free scans and tests, RAK Hospital offers a 25 per cent discount to all women for a health check-up.
“The first day alone saw over 25 registrations and appointments were made for the mammography and bone densitometry sessions,” said David.
–Agencies