Breast Cancer Reduction Initiatives in Rwanda

Background and context: Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death for women. In Africa women are diagnosed much younger, with a substantial number of cases affecting women under the age of 20. In Rwanda, breast cancer patients constitute 15.8% of overall cancer patients and new cases increase as people start being aware and go screening, however breast cancer with early detection can be well treated to live longer and palliative care can be given. It's with that reason in Rwanda different initiatives have put in place to reduce the breast cancer. Aim: The aim of these initiatives is to raise awareness of breast cancer to the population and promoting early detection as breast cancer is treatable when it's diagnosed at early stage. Also these initiatives gives information about risk factors and how changing lifestyle with early detection can help on reducing new cases. Strategy/Tactics: These initiatives are done through public health campaigns, gatherings and walks throughout the country educating breast cancer risk factors, prevention and importance of early diagnosis. The programs reached young ladies to start prevention early by making outreaches at school and youth centers. And all the initiatives are accessible by every citizen as they are all free. Program/Policy process: In promotion of early diagnosis many nurses for health center have been trained how to diagnose breast cancer and how to educate patients that attend those health facilities, then for awareness public health campaigns are done and also with different media are used like talk shows and informative posters are in different public places like hospitals. Outcomes: With the past 2 years of mass campaigns, walks and outreaches, there have been improvement in understanding of population about breast cancer, and both men and women are interested to be educated more with that the number of people going for diagnosis have been increased and participation in outreaches is high. What was learned: The population is always eager to be educated about cancer and how they can prevent it and with these initiatives have been proved by numbers that attend campaigns and it's important to take initiative to reduce its incidence by making the community aware of it and take early preventive measures. And this to be more successful there should be public and private partnership to put effort and reach a large population for breast cancer can be diagnosed treated at early stage hence reduction its prevalence.