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NCCP conducts breast cancer awareness campaign
View(s):The National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) is conducting breast cancer awareness programmes in schools throughout the island to mark World Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
NCCP is targeting school children in Colombo and its suburbs in an attempt to spread the message.
Consultant, Community Physician, Dr Suraj Perera said the programme aims to spread the message of the importance of detecting breast cancer early for treatment.
NCCP is conducting programmes in schools and targeting young students above fifteen with this aim.
Dr. Perera said the NCCP is conducting several lectures to teachers through the National Institute of Education (NIE) to disseminate the message.
“We educate physical and health education teachers to spread the message effectively,” he said.
He said that using schools to spread the message has been effective as school children take home the message to their family members and they too may learn to check and be aware of any early signs of the disease.
“We teach them self–testing methods, and to detect changes in the shape of the breast,” he said.
According to Health Ministry statistics one out of 40 women in Sri Lanka gets breast cancer. Latest statistics indicate that men too are prone to breast cancer.