First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed attended the inaugural event for the Breast Cancer Awareness 5th Annual Symposium at Hotel Jen on Thursday, as part of national efforts to raise awareness and promote early detection of breast cancer.
In her speech, the First Lady emphasised the importance of a multi-faceted approach to breast cancer, combining medical expertise, psychological support, and public engagement to improve awareness and patient care.
She highlighted the need for a collaborative effort in tackling breast cancer, promoting early detection and comprehensive care, urging women above the age of 40 to do mammograms and self-examinations for early detection. The First Lady noted the availability of chemotherapy across many regional hospitals in the country; a milestone in increasing accessibility to treatment. She commended Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) for the dedicated efforts to tackle breast cancer in the Maldives, and Cancer Society for their efforts to break the stigma surrounding breast cancer and offer evidence-based information.
Additionally, First Lady Madam Sajidha spoke on the National Cancer Control Plan 2022-2026, highlighting the Administration’s efforts provide a multi-faceted approach to combat Cancer. As such, she noted the Government’s commitment to developing a state-of-the-art cancer hospital to alleviate the suffering of cancer patients.
The First Lady urged the public to take pro-active measures to tackle the issues of cancer, especially breast cancer. She called on the public to work together to provide moral support to cancer patients.
The symposium brought together healthcare professionals and experts to discuss key aspects of breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, and patient care. Senior Consultant in Radiology, Dr Fathimath Mufliha, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the importance of mammograms as the gold standard for early breast cancer detection. Dr Afiya Ali, Principal Clinical Psychologist at IGMH, spoke on 'Facing Fear, Finding Strength: Understanding the Role of Psychological Oncology'. Fathimath Limya, Pharmaceutical Manager at the State Trading Organisation, also shared her expertise on the pharmaceutical aspects of breast cancer treatment.
