Lenggeng Cancer talk
Cancer cruelly takes the lives of many women in both the cities and rural areas of Malaysia, so Malaysian national and local authorities have formulated plans and programs to help prevent this high death-rate amongst women.
The ‘Dewan Orang Ramai Lenggeng’ in Negeri Sembilan recently hosted a four hour session organised by LPPKN, and assisted by MPKK, about warning signs for various cancers including breast and ovarian.
Many local women attended – they listened to talks, watched visual demonstrations of signs of the diseases and spoke with doctors and medical officers who then tested them on-site in the hall for diabetes, blood pressure and conducted pap smears in a converted clinic housed in a large bus.
Seremban obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Jamali Wagiman, who spoke to the audience, said that 75% of the women who arrive at the hospital are in the latter stages of cancer and the outlook is sometimes not good for them.
“It is vital that they recognise the early warning signs and symptoms, as they are treatable,” he said, referring to women having pap smears and mammograms.
“Originally we had hoped that these diseases would be eradicated by 2025, but the take-up rate for these two tests is still low.”
The sample tests taken at the kampung hall’s are analysed later on and if some of the warning signs are present the women are all taken by bus at a later date to have mammograms at the nearest hospital.
Chairman of Kg Lenggeng Mohammed Aris bin Nordin and Kg Tarun secretary Rozeita Said, were both happy at the response from locals attending.
“It is our responsibility as head of the community to bring about knowledge and create awareness on the harmful cancer, especially to elderly kampung people.”
“Vital knowledge and information are limited to them, hence we have to lay the education before them,” said Rozieta.
