The Great North of Mayotte calls for a march on October 31 against breast cancer

A solidarity walk followed by a health village will take place on Saturday, October 31, in Majicavo, as part of Pink October. According to Mayotte Hebdo, the Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Nord de Mayotte (CAGNM) and the Majicavo Citizens' Council are organizing it to inform residents about breast cancer, promote prevention, and encourage early screening.

The day's program

Participants will meet at 7 a.m. at the Friday mosque in Majicavo Koropa. They will then walk to the Majicavo Lamir stadium. On-site, the health village will offer information, awareness-raising activities, and access to screening. Women, families, and all residents are invited to attend. They will be able to ask questions and receive guidance if necessary.

The event is being organized with the City of Koungou, ASCA, AMALCA, the Mayotte Hospital Center, MAP, and MATIS. It is part of the Rendez-vous du Grand Nord, an initiative aimed at bringing health services closer to the territory's residents.

The burden of cancer on the island

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Mayotte. According to the Regional Health Agency, tumors accounted for 14% of deaths recorded between 2019 and 2021. For the same period, the Mayotte Regional Health Observatory indicates that breast cancer accounts for 18.5% of cancer deaths among women.

Screening still underutilized

Organized screening is aimed at women aged 50 to 74 who have no symptoms. They are invited every two years to have a mammogram and a clinical breast exam. Between 2020 and 2023, 12,985 Mahoran women in this age group were screened.

Mayotte Hebdo considers the low uptake of screening to be the main problem on the island. Four out of five women aged 15 and over have never had a screening mammogram, a proportion three times higher than that of mainland France for a comparable population. Yet, this exam can detect about 90% of breast cancers before any symptoms appear. According to the newspaper, a lack of information, fear, lack of time, and difficulties in accessing care explain why many women do not use it.