PROJECT: BREAST CANCER PREVENTION

Project Commenced: 2010 - on going

Project Partner / Donor: Own fund

Project Description:

In Bangladesh (population 150 million), as in many low-income countries, only the privileged receive any useful treatment for cancer. In this South Asian country, barriers to optimal cancer care include poverty, mis-information and myths operating within culture traditions which ill-serve women, gender discrimination, limited sub-optimally functioning health systems, political upheaval. These barriers result in very poor health care for women. At any time Bangladesh there are an estimated 2,00,000 women suffering from breast cancer, and 40,000 new cases develop annually. However, fewer than 20% of Bangladeshi women who develop breast cancer get care in operable, curable stages.

Project Objectives

• Create awareness among the community people about the breast cancer

• Development of a multi disciplinary breast care center for counseling and advice

• Screening of the women for detection of breast problem

• Problem solving support of selected patient

Project Activities/ Achieved:

The breast problem clinic is held one day per week in private examination room to the Banchte Sheka’s head office campus, Jessore. A trained female doctor and medical assistant attend each clinic, examining and keeping records of each woman who comes to the clinic. Women are provided advice and supportive care; those with more serious issues are referred to an affiliated doctor at Khulna Medical College. Regular advertising of the clinic is conducted and the local hospital and family planning clinic refer patients with breast problems to Banchte Sheka’s center.