UNITED NATIONS, Nov 12 (APP): Pakistani female peacekeepers serving the African Union-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) field hospital in Kabkabiya organized a campaign dedicated to breast cancer awareness to sensitize the local community about the symptoms and dangers of the disease, while emphasizing the importance of it’s early detection.
More than 95 women benefited from this campaign, including 4 female paramedical staff from the mission’s Kabkabiya Hospital and one medical student, according to a message received at UN Headquarters in New York.
The Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign included practical demonstrations, focusing on early detection and its treatment, highlighting the importance of breast-feeding to both child and mother and self-breast examination.
On-the-spot screening for breast cancer was also conducted to facilitate early detection of the disease.
Female paramedical staff at the local hospital were also trained on how to conduct breast cancer screening, mandatory for early diagnosis in high risk women.
Pink ribbon leaflets were also distributed among participants.
Speaking on behalf of the local community, a Medical student who also keenly participated in the activity, Ms Ibtiha affirmed the importance of such health awareness campaigns that are beneficial to the community and will help reduce the stigma associated with the disease.
“I promise that I will share the knowledge I have received from this awareness campaign to my female colleagues and mothers in our village,” Ms. Ibtiha added.
Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Jaffar, Commanding Officer of the Pakistan Field Hospital-12, said he would organize more free medical camps and capacity-building workshops in the future to improve health standards of the community,
referring to the free medical clinic held recently in which 2688 patients, with various ailments, were treated at the Pakistan Field Hospital in Kabkabiya, according to the message.
