October is Cancer Awareness Month so please go check yourself

Last Friday's Breakfast organised by the Women Doctors Association was a great success with overwhelming support from over 300 women. BMI (Body Mass Index), blood pressure levels, blood sugar level, tests and appointments were the order of the day for women who had queued up at the Crowne Plaza since 6AM. The Doctors were running late but this was the first brekkie as such, and they have learnt to do it better next time. The breakfast was intercepted by educational powerpoint presentations and talks by doctors as well as beautiful harmonies from a couple of singers from the SDA church  --- yes, you guessed it ...one of them was a Doctor!

Meanwhile, a great health package is being offered by non-government organisation Marie Stopes PNG. Their clinic is at Boroko on the same road that leads to the betting shop (Horse Racing). This is a golden opportunity for only K3.00.

Cancer Awareness, Crown Plaza Friday October 8th 2010

Cancer of the cervix remains the number one killer of women in PNG and the incidence is one of the highest in the world.   

The Women Doctors Association (WDA) will be hosting a breakfast at the Crown Plaza on Friday 8th October to raise awareness on cervical cancer. You are invited to support this cause be way of purchasing a table for 10 women (your friends or staff in your organisation) to attend this breakfast session.   

The cost of a table is K2000 and will include breakfast, an opportunity to have a Well Woman Check and an appointment to have a pap smear done at a participating medical centre. The keynote speaker will be Dr Jacob Morewaya, Head of Pathology Division, Medical school, UPNG. Dr Morewaya is a pathologist specialising in histopathology, the branch of science involved in diagnosing cancers. 

"BRAIN DRAIN" IN PNG - DEATH FROM LIFESTYLE DISEASES

Above is the 2007 Graph of the causes of death of members whose beneficiaries claimed payouts from Nambawan Super Ltd. (source - Annual Report 2007)

Above is the 2008 Graph of the causes of death of members. Once again, the highest number of deaths is caused by Heart Disease. Lifestyle diseases such as cancer, diabetes are also a major killer of our people.
(source - Annual Report 2008)

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I have been reading with much interest and sadness stories of the demise of some of Papua New Guinea's elites over the Christmas and New Year period.

Not a day has gone by without condolence messages in newspapers and funeral services at the Sione Kami Memorial & the St Joseph's Church in Port Moresby.