MOH & SVG Rotary Club launches breast cancer awareness project

ROTARY CLUB OF ST. VINCENT COLLABORATES WITH MINISTRY OF HEALTH TO LAUNCH BREAST CANCER AWARENESS PROJECT

The Rotary Club of St. Vincent has launched its first major Global Grant-funded project in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment (MOHWE), with input from several Rotary Clubs in Taiwan across eleven Districts. This Global Grant, funded by Rotary International with financial contributions from the Rotary Club of Taipei Prosperity, among others, was granted on June 30, 2022 in the amount of USD$183,183.00.

When Ambassador Peter Sha-Li Lin presented the project opportunity in September 2021 on behalf of the Rotary Taiwan family, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Taipei Prosperity and the MOHWE immediately sprung into action. Research suggests that with early detection, breast cancer patients have an increased likelihood of survival rate. Therefore, early detection, education and increased access to screening services are among our best tools in our fight against breast cancer. With this in mind, the stakeholders transformed ideas into action through the development and submission of a project proposal for increased access to breast cancer education and screening services in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

Led by President Daniel Campbell and Immediate Past President Dr. Janelle Allen, the project team will drive the implementation of this Breast Cancer Awareness Project over two years, with results forecasted to be measurable in the medium to long term, through a reduction in the incidences of breast cancer-related deaths as a result of early detection through increased education, awareness and regular, accessible screening.

Through this two-part Grant funded project, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent and the MOHWE will implement an ongoing awareness and education campaign which extends beyond the traditional Breast Cancer awareness period in October, engaging the public to reduce the stigma associated with breast screenings.

Additionally, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent has purchased and will present to the MOHWE three mobile ultrasound screening units, which are expected to arrive in SVG by January 2023. Thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Taiwan, a capacity-building component is also included, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan), has donated US$40,000.00 towards the training of our local medical personnel in the use and interpretation of data produced by these units.

These mobile units will increase access to screening services for residents of rural and hard-to-reach areas, particularly in the Grenadines. With easier access to primary screening services, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent hopes to champion the cause that early detection indeed saves lives, and to encourage a culture of routine screening as a regular aspect of women’s and men’s health. These services will be available at no cost to residents.