Empowering Women's Health in Rural Bangladesh: Community-Led Campaign for Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening by Alo Bhubon Trust (Alo-BT)

Alo-BT, a non-profit organisation, has been working dedicatedly since 2017 to serve humanity and improve sustainable development. Prof. Dr. Golam Abu Zakaria, the founder of Alo Bhubon Trust, has been trying to develop cancer treatment manpower, prevention, diagnostic areas of cancer disease with his experience for more than 40 years in Germany and approximately 30 years in Bangladesh and other developing countries.

At present two projects are dedicatedly working on cancer disease. One is RBHC which is a rural project in the north Bengal area is conducting awareness campaigns, providing screening facilities, and research in the area of cancer prevention in Bangladesh to alleviate the suffering of women and optimise their health outcomes. Another project is South Asia Centre for Medical Physics and Cancer Research (SCMPCR) continuously arranging different kinds of accredited training programs like e-learning, in-service training, hands-on training for the cancer professionals to develop skill manpower for cancer treatment.

In this perspective, RBHC project of Alo-BT has a target of its location and surrounding villages of Naogaon will screen the women for breast and cervical cancer. Two days, September 13 and 19, 2023, VIA test and breast screening was conducted at RBHC, Ikurkuri, Naogaon (A project of Alo Bhubon Trust) for 160 women. Out of the three women has detected cancer by VIA, those patients undergone colposcopy and successive treatment. A continuous follow up is taken by RBHC staff.

RBHC healthcare professionals demonstrated how to conduct a self-examination and answered any questions the women had. The women were also encouraged to visit healthcare centres regularly for mammograms and breast examinations.

Overall, the campaign was a resounding success, providing screening and testing facilities to women in rural areas of Bangladesh. The participants appreciated the opportunity to access these facilities and gain knowledge about cancer prevention and treatment. This initiative is a positive step towards achieving the SDGs' goal of reducing the number of fatalities caused by non-communicable diseases, such as breast and cervical cancer, and improving the quality of life for women in Bangladesh. This is RBHC regular activities, in each month for three days we are doing VIA tests, USG of breast exams if needed. Besides this awareness campaigns are regularly held to reduce the number of cancer fatalities in Bangladesh. All activities aligning with Government will assist to achieve the SDG goal-3 as well as the goal strategy of WHO by the year 2030.