Screening plea

An award-winning medical professional on the island has warned that cancer is one of the biggest global public health issues with incidence of the disease rising at an alarming rate globally, including in Bahrain.

A modern sedentary life-style, fast food and smoking are leading to a time-bomb of illness and misery.

Head of department of surgery at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI-MUB) professor Niall O' Higgins said: 'At present there are 11 million new cancer cases diagnosed annually in the world with seven million cancer deaths per year and 25 million people living with the disease.

'By 2030, we will have 27 million new cancer cases with 17 million deaths and 75 million people living with the disease. And, evidence suggests that 43 per cent of all cancers in the world are avoidable as they stem from infections, tobacco use and an unhealthy diet.'

Professor O' Higgins was closely involved with establishing the national breast cancer screening programme in Ireland and improving symptomatic services for women with breast cancer and has a wealth of experience in dealing with the disease and its research.

He has served and chaired on the boards of prestigious cancer and surgery committees both internationally and in his home country of Ireland. He arrived on the island two years ago and although his work here is concentrated on teaching general surgery at the medical university, he is forthcoming in sharing his expertise on breast cancer.

Professor O' Higgins is adamant about the need for screening and specialised breast cancer centres to treat patients.

He explained: 'Screening means checking women who are normal, it means preventing premature deaths.

'As screening around the world is very expensive to maintain and support, you have to have 70 per cent of women coming and using the diagnostic tool. One of the aims of Think Pink Bahrain is to push that forward. I feel that compliance is an issue in Bahrain and that it can only be countered by education and explanation.

'As a doctor I have seen that breast cancer sufferers fare much better in a specialised centre and mortality rates are lower. Bahrain has the expertise but breast cancer care should be concentrated where all the doctors - from surgeons to oncologists, radiotherapists and the rest - should liaise with each other through multi-disciplinary meetings to concentrate on the patient.'

While speaking during a televised interview at a recent European Cancer Conference in Barcelona, Professor O' Higgins, 68, highlighted the importance of an integrated system of care for breast cancer sufferers.

Currently he is assisting in setting up post graduate surgical training at the university. He also teaches surgery students at Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) Hospital and Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) and is looking forward to doing the same at the soon-to-open King Hamad Hospital in Muharraq.

He added: 'I would like to see King Hamad Hospital as a fully-integrated university teaching hospital whereby all consultant staff would contribute and be assisted by RSCI-MUB.

'I come from an island community and both Bahrain and Ireland have had 30 years of association and co-operation, I would love to see Bahrain thrive.'