Izah Azahari
Breast cancer has the highest incidence rate among women, Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2022 Co-Chairperson Datin Dr Hajah Noraslinah binti Haji Ramlee said.
Opening the event with welcoming remarks at an event where The Brunei Cancer Centre (TBCC) of Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre (PJSC) launched its Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign at the lecture theatre of the PJSC building yesterday, Datin Dr Hajah Noraslinah as the Head of Early Detection and Cancer Prevention Services, said the incidence of breast cancer is highest among 45 to 49 years old over the past five years.
“We are also seeing the trend of breast cancer occurring in younger age groups,” she said.
“Compared to a decade ago, the incidence was highest among the older age group of 55 to 59 years old. In 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption of routine health services, we found over 100 women to have breast cancer in Brunei,” she added.
She assured that the National Health Screening programme in particular for Breast Cancer has resumed with the recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic, and efforts are now in place to encourage women to safely return to screening practices and empower those with signs and symptoms to come forward.
“Globally, the incidence of breast cancer has risen significantly over the past few decades; it has overtaken lung cancer as the world’s most commonly diagnosed cancer,” said the co-chairperson.
She noted that more than two million women worldwide were diagnosed with breast cancer and 685,000 deaths due to breast cancer were reported in 2020.
She said at PJSC through TBCC, cancer treatment, access and screening remains top priority as all their cancer care and cancer control services are running back to normal.
“The previous experience with the pandemic has provided important lessons learnt on preparations for any next pandemic or events that may lead to cancer care disruption.”
Minister of Education Datin Seri Setia Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh was the guest of honour.
Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy (Fiscal) Pengiran Datin Seri Paduka Hajah Zety Sufina binti Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Sani; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Fiscal and Corporate) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy Hajah Chairani binti Haji Sulaiman; member of the PJSC Board of Directors Hajah Noraini binti Haji Sulaiman; PJSC Executive Director Dr Haji Mazrul Adimin bin Haji Awang Besar and TBCC Director Dato Seri Laila Jasa Dr Babu Sukumaran in their capacity as the advisors of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2022; and Co-Chairperson Dr Lu Shir Kiong also attended the event.
Among the activities is the plenary discussion yesterday led by Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Ravi Sekhar Patnaik titled ‘Breast Cancer: Then & Now’ and the launch of Breast Cancer Awareness Month by the guest of honour showing a video clip that includes a message from PJSC’s Goodwill Ambassador and Messenger of Cancer Awareness and local celebrity Wu Chun.
The minister handed over certificates of appreciation to event sponsors Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) Junaidi bin Haji Masri and Deputy CEO of Armada Properties Sdn Bhd Johari bin Haji Hol.
The event also saw the guest of honour touring the Breast Cancer Awareness exhibition by the Brunei Breast Cancer Support Group (BCSG) and the departments under TBCC – Medical Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Oncology, the Early Detection and Cancer Prevention Services, as well as the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Prevention Unit from the Ministry of Health.
