'Pink October' breast cancer awareness campaign kicks off in Algeria

The official kick-off of the campaign against breast cancer, entitled "Pink October", was given Tuesday night in Algiers by minister of Health, Population and Hospital Reform, Abdelmalek Boudiaf, minister of Post and Information and Communication Technologies Zohra Derdouri and the Dean of breast specialists and department head at  Pierre and Marie Curie Centre (CPMC), Ahmed Bendib.
The official launch of "Pink October" campaign was attended by representatives of several ministries, the medical profession, associations and the media to support patients with breast cancer and encourage other women to have early screening.
Boudiaf announced that a census operation of cancer cases was underway in all health care facilities nationwide to develop a national cancer registry.
Regarding the Cancer Plan, the minister stated the ministry will receive this month the recommendations of the disciplinary committee, in charge of the implementation of this Plan.
He said the new "anti-cancer centers (CAC) included in the Cancer Plan, will be operational by the end of the year and the old centers will be restored and renovated."
According to the same official, "the problem of radiation therapy will be finally settled in 2015," stating that "chemotherapy knows no shortage."
Boudiaf also assured "280 patients benefit from radiotherapy care in all CAC daily."
As for screening, president of El Amel (hope) association, Hamida Khatab, urged women to get tested early, every two years, from the age of 40, noting that women should opt for private sector if appointments were saturated in public hospitals.
For her part, Derdouri explained the Central Post Office in Algiers (la Grande Poste d’Alger) was chosen for the launch of this campaign to inform as many citizens as possible as this place draws large crowds.