In its continuous effort to raise awareness on health issues among the residents of the UAE, the National Health Insurance Company- Daman marked the international month for breast cancer awareness through a series of activities throughout its UAE branches on the 21st of October.
Support for this great cause was demonstrated by all of Daman’s employees who took part by dressing in pink colored attire and pink ribbons on the day. Staff across Daman’s UAE branches provided customers with pink ribbon badges, and gave out leaflets which provided them with essential information on breast cancer.
According to the Health Authority- Abu Dhabi (HAAD) breast cancer awareness team, breast cancer has been identified as the single most common cancer in the UAE among Emiratis and expatriate women. It constitutes 38% of all female cancer and accounts for 28% of all female deaths in the UAE. This includes 160 women who develop breast cancer in the emirate of Abu Dhabi every year. 87% of the cases occur with women after the age of 40, with the highest numbers in the age group of 45-54 years.
Commenting on the campaign, Dr. Michael Bitzer, Daman’s Chief Executive Officer said: “Daman continues to realize the importance of raising awareness amongst the public on the issue of breast cancer. We realize that one of the most important aspects in breast cancer treatment is early diagnosis. In our efforts to provide our members with knowledge, to benefit from early diagnosis, we female members aged 35 and above can benefit from a free yearly screening.â€
In 2008, Daman introduced the free annual breast cancer screening for female members aged 35 years and above enrolled in enhanced plans. The screening includes a clinical exam, Mammogram, CA 15.3 and Pelvic Sonogram.
A breast self-exam should be part of every woman’s monthly health care routine, and immediate medical care must be sought if a woman is to experience any of the symptoms. If a woman is over 40 or at a high risk for the disease, due to hereditary reasons, then an annual screening should be part of her medical programme.
Dr. Bitzer concluded: “The inclusion of such a benefit in our plans reflects our commitment to enhancing the healthcare system and hence a healthier society. We also hope that by including the free screening in our plans, women will be encouraged to take the test for timely detection and prevention.â€
For more details on Daman’s coverage of breast cancer screening, please contact 800 4 Daman (32626).
