October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Breast cancer is on the rise in Kenya. Women are succumbing to it at a much younger age compared to much of the world. Speaking during the official launch of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October 2020) at the Kenyatta National Hospital on October 13, Ministry of Health CAS Dr Rashid Aman expressed concern about early detection, awareness and screening services that have unfortunately remained low.
75% of women in Kenya have not performed a self-breast examination (SBE) and only 14% have had a clinical breast examination according to data released by the Ministry of Health. Despite breast cancer accounting for 12.5% of all cancers in the country and 20.9% of all cancers among women, most women are yet to do breast examinations posing a challenge to early detection. Early diagnosis is key to effective treatment and survival, and this is where you can make a difference. The screening will improve health and wellbeing.
