AMMAN - The Kingdom's health authorities will this week forge ahead with an intensified campaign encouraging women to take charge of their breast health and subsequent survival.
With International Breast Cancer Awareness Month being marked worldwide in October, the Jordan Breast Cancer Programme (JBCP) said a major nationwide campaign to raise public awareness on the deadly disease will be launched here on Wednesday.
JBCP Programme Director Salma Jaouni told members of the media that the Kingdom was stepping up efforts to better educate the public on the risks of breast cancer, and improve the quality of health services and women's chances of survival.
"The campaign will once again work to raise awareness on breast cancer in Jordan, which remains a challenge," Jaouni said.
"The key message here is that we can save lives with early detection, but again, this requires the joint efforts of all partners," she added.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, accounting for 35.3 per cent of female cancer cases, according to official figures.
Officials note that although the incidence of breast cancer is not higher than other countries, most women detect the disease in the late stages, which reduces their chances of survival.
According to local health experts, women who detect their breast cancer in the first or second stage have a 90 per cent recovery rate. However, 70 per cent of breast cancer patients in the Kingdom discover their disease during stage three or four.
Figures show that patients who detect the cancer in stage one have a 98 per cent survival rate, while those in stage two have an 88 per cent survival rate. That rate, however, drops to 49 per cent and 16 per cent respectively in stages three and four.
A recent study revealed that the average annual rate of breast cancer has been increasing by 3 per cent annually, with those in the 45-49 age range at higher risk.
According to official figures, 31 per cent of breast cancer patients in Jordan are in the 40-49 age bracket, compared to 16 per cent in the 30-39 age range and 26 per cent in the 50-59 age range.
In 1996, 448 breast cancer cases were diagnosed in the Kingdom, which grew to 554 cases in 2000 and 674 in 2005.
The JBCP director noted that the 3 per cent average rate increase was a cause for concern, considering that 50 per cent the population is below 18 years.
"These figures reflect the urgency of raising awareness and early detection," she said.
The goal of the national programme is to reverse the current trend within the next five years and detect 70 per cent of cases in the early stages. This will be achieved by finding symptomatic cases while building a system for screening through mammograms.
Jaouni said many challenges still lie ahead as the Kingdom must increase the availability of mammograms in public hospitals, and ensure that healthcare providers and staff acquire the needed technical training to read ultrasounds and mammograms.
She also raised the issue of providing women with the appropriate environment in which to be checked by health service providers, noting cultural and personal sensitivities render some women reluctant to be examined by a male.
The main theme behind this year's October campaign is designed to guide women towards getting regular mammograms, specifically those above the age of 40, in accordance with the national guidelines for breast screening.
As Jordan's largest and most widespread breast cancer awareness effort so far, the campaign is expected to engage around 250,000 Jordanians across the country, from students and housewives to working women, in the fight against the disease.
Awareness activities slated across the Kingdom range from road shows and exhibition booths in supermarkets, malls, schools and universities, to free clinical breast examinations and discounted mammograms at public and private hospital.
Brochures will be distributed that clearly depict how women can undertake breast self-exams.
Jaouni said a new permanent hotline will also be launched during the campaign to assist citizens.
She told The Jordan Times that the large number of stakeholders involved in the JBCP campaign and the media are important to its strength and success.
JBCP partners include the Ministry of Health, the King Hussein Cancer Foundation, the King Hussein Cancer Centre, the Royal Medical Services, UNRWA, the World Health Organisation, the USAID Jordan Private Sector Project for Women's Health, the University of Jordan and the Jordan University Hospital.
By Dalya Dajani
© Jordan Times 2008
