TIRANA, October 2 /ATA/ October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu convened a meeting of ministers and MPs in the venues of the COD to join their voice in efforts to raise awareness of the need for an early diagnosis of the disease.
“We are together today at the COD, but tomorrow we will be on the ground in an effort to raise awareness among women about timely breast examinations. Our campaign will be intense, day after day, not only in October, because we appreciate that only through awareness and timely capture of the disease, this battle can be won,” said Manastirliu.
She added that despite the increasing number of women and girls affected by breast cancer, the mortality rate has decreased.
“The cases have increased, there are 700 new cases every year in Albania, but there is also good news: There is a significant reduction of breast cancer mortality, mainly in women under 50 years of age. And this indicator has improved significantly and steadily by 1.5 times,” said Manastirliu.
The participants shared their experiences and expressed their commitment to make efforts to raise awareness of the breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cancer in the general population in Albania. 1 in 8 women are at risk of breast cancer and our official statistics show an increase in the number of cancer cases, marking 708 new cases in 2018./r.e/p.s./
