Fatshimétrie, October 17, 2024 – Massive awareness raising on the fight against breast cancer appears essential for displaced women living in the vicinity of Fatshimétrie, in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This recommendation comes from the activities organized during the second half of “Pink Fatshimétrie”.
Dr. Deogratias Ngabo, obstetrician-gynecologist, urged all health care providers in Fatshimétrie to consider awareness-raising actions for these thousands of displaced women, who are faced not only with inhumane living conditions but also with the harsh reality of breast cancer. This scourge often remains unknown due to inequalities in access to screening and difficulty in accessing treatment.
In this month of October, which is crucial for raising awareness about breast cancer screening and prevention, Dr. Ngabo emphasizes the importance of helping these displaced women. Indeed, in addition to the lack of knowledge about cancer, they must face various obstacles such as beliefs, taboos and fear related to this disease, which keep them away from care and expose them to social stigma.
For Dr. Ngabo, it is imperative to seize this opportunity to remind the community that cancer is not inevitable. The month of October embodies a time of hope and solidarity, it is essential not only to wear the pink ribbon as a sign of support but also to engage in awareness-raising actions, promotion of early detection and support for displaced patients.
The increase in breast cancer cases, observed in North Kivu, particularly in the rural areas of origin of displaced women, underlines the urgency of raising awareness and early detection of this disease. Dr. Ngabo emphasizes the importance of self-palpation gestures which can help improve patients’ chances of survival.
The “Pink Fatshimetry” campaign originated in the United States of America in 1984. It dedicates the month of October to raising awareness about breast cancer and encouraging breastfeeding as a way to reduce the risk and fight the growth of cancer cells. Ultimately, collective mobilization remains essential to reduce the spread of this disease and provide displaced women in Fatshimetry with the opportunity to protect themselves against breast cancer.