Santo Domingo. – The Minister of Public Health, Víctor Atallah, highlighted this Thursday that the Ministry of Health is strengthening actions to facilitate access to timely diagnostic services for the detection of breast cancer, as well as the necessary treatments in order to contribute to women can overcome the disease.
She highlighted the importance of society, and mainly women, getting involved and aware of the issue of cancer, so that they can prevent the disease.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure that every woman, regardless of her economic situation or geographic location, has access to the diagnostic and treatment services she needs. It is essential that mammography, ultrasound and biopsy services are available and accessible in every corner of our country,” said Dr. Atallah.
The Health Minister called on women to be proactive with their health and not only exercise their role as caregivers, but also take care of themselves.
«What is not known is not detected early, we must work on prevention, on knowing what breast cancer is and how it can manifest, this is part of prevention, but the community and women must be part of it, examine themselves, “Know the risk factors to avoid complications from the disease,” he said.
He added that strengthening research, improving oncological services and promoting public policies that prioritize the fight against breast cancer are also a high priority for this public health entity. She reaffirmed her commitment to creating a future where this disease is no longer a threat to women and their families.
For her part, the representative in the country of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Alba María Ropero, expressed that in the Americas each year approximately 491 thousand women are diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 106,391 of them die. an increase in cases is estimated in the coming years.
For this reason, he highlighted the importance of prevention and early detection of the disease.
While Jeannie Ferrera, representative of the United Nations Population Fund, said that breast cancer is a preventable disease, while appreciating and congratulating the efforts of the Ministry of Public Health, the National Health Service (SNS) and the First Lady of the Republic, for increasing detection coverage through the opening of mammography services, which allows early detection in the population and a reduction in deaths.
The authorities expressed themselves in these terms when participating in the commemoration of the “International Day to Fight Breast Cancer” which is commemorated every October 19 with the aim of raising awareness and promoting more and more women access to controls, diagnoses and timely and effective treatments.
At the end of the formal event, a talk on breast cancer prevention was given by Dr. Sabrina Marte, gynecologist, obstetrician and oncologist, where employees, department managers and other guests participated.
The specialists agreed that breast cancer is not a definitive sentence, advances in treatments are saving lives, which is why they call on women to self-examine and go regularly to their specialist doctor to prevent this and other diseases that can be cured if detected. on time.
