Women Health Outreach Program; a New Experience for all Egyptian Women

The global health community faces a challenge with breast cancer being the most common cause of cancer related death among women around the globe. Since breast cancer's pathogenesis is poorly understood, primary prevention is still a distant goal. Thus secondary prevention through early detection is the only feasible approach at present. With this strong conviction, the launching of the first Egyptian national screening program "Women Health Outreach Program" (WHOP), was announced on October 30th 2007. This project is a government- funded program that offers free breast screening for all Egyptian women above the age of 45 years. In addition to free mammograms, the program gives the participants a chance to be screened for diabetes, hypertension and obesity as well. Positively detected cases are also offered the option of free management. During the period from October 30th, 2007, up to February 9th, 2009, 20, 098 women in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez governorates were screened for breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension and obesity through the program. In this article we will represent the achievements, challenges and services delivered by WHOP.

Breast cancer - Breast screening - Early detection - Breast biopsy.