Namibia recorded 3453 cancer cases overall, with 533 cases of breast cancer, making it one of the leading cancers in the country, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) through the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) data in 2022.
Furthermore, it was projected that by 2050, there will be more than 1100 new breast cancer cases annually if urgent interventions are not publicly available soon.
This Breast Cancer Awareness month of October, The Cancer Association of Namibia urges all Namibia to prioritize regular breast cancer screenings and to spread the message of early detection, as it remains the most effective way to combat this disease.
"We will continue our efforts to expand access to screenings and improve early diagnosis to save lives," they added.
The Association said breast cancer continues to pose a significant challenge in Namibia, particularly in reducing the high number of women diagnosed at advanced stages. "Each year, more than 550 women in Namibia are diagnosed with breast cancer, and unfortunately, many of these diagnoses occur at late stages, leading to poor prognoses and outcomes. The issue of metastatic disease remains a major concern, requiring urgent and sustained intervention," they emphasised.
They said they responded to this health crisis, by being at the forefront of efforts to combat breast cancer through awareness and screening initiatives.
"We have hosted ad-hoc screening clinics and, in 2017, formally launched the National Cancer Outreach Programme (NCOP). This programme was developed to screen rural communities throughout the country, with a dual purpose, to raise awareness at the grass-roots level and provide direct screenings, and more importantly, to empower healthcare workers in the regions," they said.
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They explained that by providing clinical screening training to healthcare workers, the programme will ensure faster referrals of patients to hospitals for treatment.
"In 2023, we took a further step by launching the Namibia Breast Clinic initiative, in collaboration with Dr AB May Cancer Care Centre and donor partner Roche. The initiative was driven by the growing concern of the increasing number of advanced breast cancer cases in the country," they informed.
Chief Executive of CAN, Rolf Hansen recounts how Dr Marcia Venter, Dr Annelle Zietsman, and himself, realised that if they did not take immediate, drastic action, the ticking time bomb of breast cancer cases would soon explode
"By now Namibia has breast clinic programmes established in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Oshakati, Onandjokwe, Keetmanshoop, Mariental, Rundu, and Katima Mulilo. Which are supported by a network of peers and the medical oncology unit at Windhoek Central Hospital," he added.
He emphasised that the true heroes are the surgical, medical, and nursing teams at hospitals across the country who have accepted the challenge and work tirelessly with passion and empathy to provide screening and diagnostics for breast cancer patients.
