Congo/Health: WHO-Congo raises students' awareness of the fight against breast cancer

On November 25 in Brazzaville, the World Health Organization (WHO) office in the Republic of Congo raised awareness among students of the harmful effects of breast and prostate cancer.

The initiative integrates the actions of pink October and blue November. During these months, the Ministry of Health and the WHO Country Office run communication campaigns and raise funds to support research, accompany patients, promote early prevention and screening, and encourage women and men to consult doctors frequently.

Breast and prostate cancer are among the most common cancers in the world, particularly in the Congo. Although progress has been made in diagnosis and treatment, a large proportion of cases, particularly in low-income countries like Congo, are detected late. Awareness-raising therefore aims to promote early detection, rapid diagnosis and access to care in order to reduce mortality rates.

According to the Congo Cancer Registry, the mortality rate for breast cancer is estimated at 34.1%, or 1,732 deaths. "When breast cancers are detected early, the patient has a better chance of recovery. Cancers kill more than AIDS, malaria... and are very insidious diseases that are not contagious", said Pr Judith Nsondé Malanda, head of the oncology department at Brazzaville University Hospital.

She recommended breast self-examination, a method women can use to monitor the health of their breasts and detect any abnormalities, such as lumps, pain or changes in skin texture. Although it doesn't replace medical examinations such as mammography or ultrasound, self-examination is a good habit for being aware of the condition of your breasts. Mammography is also a medical imaging test used to examine the breasts. It is used to screen for and diagnose breast abnormalities, such as lumps, calcifications or other signs of breast cancer.

For prostate cancer, Dr. Stéphane Siméon Moubié, oncologist at the Hôpital Centrale des Armées Pierre-Mobengo, warned that the risk is genally observed from the age of forty, with signs such as the appearance of drops of blood in urine and semen. " We say that prostate cancer is not the same as prostatitis, which is inflammation of the prostate. It can be chronic or acute. Infectious prostatitis can be detected with the Meares and Stamey test. We advise men to eat a healthy diet and avoid excessive alcohol consumption", suggested Dr Stéphane Siméon Moubié.

As part of the fight against these two scourges, WHO-Congo has drawn up a strategic plan, set up rapid screening sites, disseminated information on cancer symptoms, methods of treatment, and more.cancer symptoms, screening methods such as mammography for breast cancer and the prostate-specific antigen test for prostate cancer, and advice on healthy lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of developing these diseases.

At this awareness-raising session for students, Vincent Dossou Sodjinou, WHO-Congo's interim representative, called for solidarity and the creation of a supportive environment for those affected by these diseases, while emphasizing the importance of a healthy lifestyle.He stressed the importance of early detection, regular medical check-ups, regular exercise and a healthy diet.

Source: www.adiac-congo.com/