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DHA drive screens 7,000 govt staff

A breast cancer and osteoporosis awareness campaign, organised by the Dubai Health Authority, has reached out to more than 7,000 individuals across government departments in Dubai.

The campaign was concluded on Friday in a ceremony at Safa Park, which witnessed hundreds of participants pledging their support towards the cause. Participants of the campaign, which started in June, also received free counselling and educational material on breast cancer.

Dr Abdelrazzak Al Madani, CEO of Dubai Hospital, thanked the participants for their support and said: “When it comes to breast cancer, the fight against the community’s lack of awareness is ongoing.”

Dr Moza Al Hattawi, Chairperson of the DHA Breast Cancer Campaign, said: “Lack of awareness is a major obstacle in the fight against breast cancer because women in this region approach healthcare practitioners in their later stages, making it difficult to cure the disease.

Almost 30 per cent of the women diagnosed with breast cancer come to us in the third stage and this is a trend we want to change. I lost my sister to this disease as she got diagnosed in the later stages of the disease.” Hattawi said that the government employees had access to a mobile mammogram unit provided by Philips, to receive on-the-spot screenings at various locations.

During the campaign, all women who were screened placed a pink rose on a huge pink ribbon-shaped structure that has been built for the campaign. The stand was set afloat at the ceremony and represents the personal pledges made to protect themselves and their family against breast cancer.

Dr Amal Al Jaziri, Head of Elderly Care Unit in the DHA Primary Health Authority, advocated the need for regular exercise to strengthen bones, a diet rich in calcium and adequate sun exposure to get vitamin D as measures to prevent the onset of the disease.

news@khaleejtimes.com