KUWAIT CITY, July 26: Deaths from breast cancer among women in Kuwait are considered the world’s highest due to a lack of awareness and delay in detection of the disease. This was revealed by participants at a recent seminar on “Living with Cancer” organized by Kuwait’s branch of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, under the auspices of Cancer Awareness Nation (CAN) and the Kuwait Economic Society. In attendance were nutritionist Laila Aaga, dermatologist Dr Shamali Al-Sanafi, and specialist in family medicine Dr Safiya Al-Sayegh who discussed three nutritional points and effective roles they play in strengthening the body’s immune system, detecting cancer in the body and its prevention.
The experts agreed on the relevance of detecting cancer in its early stages, which they said reduces deaths and increases the chances of recovery by 90 percent.

According to Al-Sayegh, the ratio of deaths among patients of breast cancer worldwide is 1:8. “Even as studies confirm the rate of breast cancer is higher globally, deaths resulting from breast cancer in Kuwait are higher than the global rate because the disease is always detected in its late stages.” She indicated around 3 percent of women between 20 and 29 years in Kuwait have breast cancer, and 5.9 percent of those between 30-39 years old suffer from the disease. She added that, 24.7 percent of the breast cancer patients are between 40 and 49 years, 29.1 percent of them 50-59 years, while 13.9 percent of women between 70 and 79 years have this form of cancer. She noted that hereditary factors, old age, life style, obesity, and diet also contribute to breast cancer.

Meanwhile, Dr Shamali pointed to three types of skin cancers, stressing that persistent exposure to sunrays is the major cause of skin cancer which also results in premature aging. Dr Aaga said anti-oxidants and vitamins help the body to replace worn-out cells and tissues, adding the diet should always contain anti-oxidants since they detoxify the body.

Meanwhile, the Director of Al-Sabah Medical Area, Dr Abdullatif Al-Slahi says the Ministry of Health is working tirelessly to complete its projects, as scheduled in the development plan, to improve medical services and expansion activities at the hospitals, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. Al-Slahi added the ministry will be in touch with international universities and medical centers to sign agreements and memoranda of understanding to improve medical services. He said the Al-Sabah Health Area has the major quota of projects and programs since the area contains more than 28 hospitals and health centers, and covers about 90 percent of services.

Meanwhile, he called on the Directors of hospitals to take advantage of the reshuffling process to gain more skill and experience for promotion. He said the layout of the new Al-Sabah Hospital has been completed, and according to the expansion plan for Ibn Sina and Al-Razi Hospitals, 300 beds, 10 operation theaters and 60 additional beds will be installed at the Intensive Care Units. He reiterated that $ 8 billion has been allotted for the establishment new hospitals by 2016.