B2 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

YEAR-LONG ORDEAL COLOURS OF ONAM Standed workers Onam was celebrated by expatriate staff at Badr Al Sama withgreat fervour and gaeity. Onam, which is a harvest festival, marks to return home the end of monsoons and the onset of autumn. The festivities would continue for the next 10 days. — OK Mohammed Ali/TIMES OF OMAN

report published on August 6 helped IMPACT the Indian Embassy and Bangla- deshi embassy to settle the issue. “The news report on our pathetic REJIMON K condition brought the attention of [email protected] the officials to resolve our issue,” a worker told Times of Oman. : Twenty-four Bangla- The joint efforts of the Bangla- Breast cancer meet to deshi and 11 Indian expatriate work- deshi and Indian embassies to set- ers can finally heave a sigh of relief tle the issues of these workers have after one year of struggle. helped to an extent, but uncertain- The workers, who have been ties were bogging them again. leading a pathetic life sans food “The second news report on Au- stress early screening and proper shelter in the outskirts gust 28, detailing the plight of these of Qurum, after their company al- workers again helped us to take up legedly denied them their salaries, the issue with the authorities con- shelter and renewal of labour cards, cerned to find a solution,” a senior will finally fly back home. official from the Bangladeshi em- The Indian labourers will leave bassy told Times of Oman. According to official on Sunday night and Bangladeshi la- “For the last one year, they were bourers will leave on Monday morn- staying in a makeshift cabins. Now, statistics, 1,111 people ing. Times of Oman first highlighted they can go home and see their dear the pathetic life of the labourers who and near ones. Some, never were were diagnosed Early detection of breast cancer improves were depending on food distributed able to go home for the last five at mosques during the holy Ram- years,” Gireesh Kumar, the Indian with breast cancer the chances of breast cancer being adan month to stave off hunger. The embassy lawyer said. from 1997 to 2009, diagnosed at an early stage and treated

DARSAIT INCIDENT of which 1,056 were successfully. When breast cancer is Current in tap water: females and 55 detected very early, the results of treatment males. To highlight are very positive. If there is a lump you MEDC initiates probe the importance of can remove it and you don’t have to breast screening, remove the whole breast. It is treatable Times News Service The HSE manager further said that the incident report would be an international with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. MUSCAT: Muscat Electricity Dis- made available to the public once it tribution Company (MEDC) has is completed. After receiving com- conference is Life expectancy and the quality of life the started its probe into the incident plaints from the residents in Darsait of low voltage electricity current on September 4, MEDC emergency being organised on woman leads will be good despite having passing through the potable water crew rushed to the scene and iden- system, affecting some residential tified the cause immediately. They September 21 cancer. areas in Darsait, on September 4. also immediately shut down the af- A special team from Health, fected line and assigned the load to Safety and Environment (HSE) de- another line. Dr Hiral Jerajani Kamath partments is helping the engineers MEDC wants to ensure the public Radiologist of the Muscat zone in conducting a that the supply of safe electricity is MRUDU NAIK technical probe into the incident. its unwavering commitment. MEDC [email protected] The water-conducted electricity, maintains round the clock emergen- which is a rare incident, is being in- cy services and the public should in- MUSCAT: Early detection tests for and breast imaging at Tata Memo- recommends that every woman Since the MMU’s journey began, vestigated in detail and MEDC has form the company of any suspected breast cancer saves many lives each rial Hospital, Mumbai, India will must have a mammography done it has been at health centre at Barka, already taken necessary action to pre- leakage of electricity by calling on year, and many more lives could be speak on ‘Benign and Malignant on reaching 40. Muscat, Sifa, , , , vent such incidents in the future. toll free number 80070008. saved if more women took advan- Lesions on Mammography’. Dr Ra- “What mammography does is Wadi Kabir Musanna, Saham, So- HSE manager Dr. Ghudayyer Al On the same note, MEDC urges tage of these tests, according to Dr mani will also speak on BIRADS, it picks up cancers that are very har, Fanja, Salalah, Samail, Nizwa, Weheibi said that a low tension 415 civil contractors engaged in the ex- Hiral Jerajani Kamath, a renowned breast MRI and PET and breast mi- small even before it forms a lump. Salalah, Izki, Sur, Ibra, Ibri, Bahla, V cable was damaged near a leaking cavation works to approach MEDC radiologist in the Capital. crocalcifications. It is sometimes felt upto two years and Mawaleeh among other places. water pipe which caused the electric prior to performing any works. “The goal of screening exams Dr Sukhpal Sawhney, senior con- earlier than they are detected by “When breast cancer is detected current to transmit through the wa- MEDC will provide drawings and for early breast cancer detection is sultant radiologist at SQUH, will the victim. A patient may not feel very early, the results of treatment ter pipe. The cable was damaged charts of cables buried in the ground to find cancers before they start to speak on ‘Breast USG and Elastog- the lump, the doctor will not feel are very positive. If there is a lump by an excavator which is being used that could help these contractors in cause symptoms. Early detection raphy’; Dr Taha Al Lawati, senior the lump but a mammography will you can remove it and you don’t by a construction company. The af- avoiding any damage. improves the chances of breast consultant surgeon oncology at detect some sort of calcification,” have to remove the whole breast. It fected 4cx185 mm cable was dam- MEDC has recently increased the cancer being diagnosed at an ear- Royal Hospital, will deliver a lec- explains Dr Hiral. is treatable with radiotherapy and aged by a contracting company from fines for contractors who damage ly stage and treated successfully,” ture on the 'Treatment of Breast chemotherapy. Life expectancy and Assahil substation in Darsait. underground cables. she explained. Cancer in Oman'; and Bob Martin One in seven women the quality of life the woman leads To stress the importance of of Hologiuc company will focus on “According to medical journals, one will be good despite having cancer. breast screening, Dr Hiral Jerajani the advances in mammography and in seven women are likely to get But it has to be picked up very ear- Kamath of Aafiyaa Imaging and would speak on 'Digital Mammog- breast cancer. As women age, the ly,” explains Dr Hiral. Diagnostic Centre LLC, along with raphy and Tomosynthesis’. chances of getting breast cancer Studies clearly show that early Oman Association of Radiogra- According to the Ministry of increase, so it is better not to take detection of breast cancer through phers, is organising an internation- Health statistics, 1,111 people were chances,” she adds. mammography greatly improves al conference on ‘Update in Breast diagnosed with breast cancer from In Oman, mammography is of- treatment options, chances for Imaging’ at the Institute of Health 1997 to 2009, of which 1,056 were fered at Royal Hospital, SQU, successful treatment and survival. Sciences, Wattaya, on September females and 55 males. Khoula, Aafiyaa Imaging and Di- Early-stage breast cancer typically 21. The conference will focus on With breast cancer now becom- agnostic Centre and the Mobile produces no symptoms when the the importance of radiological di- ing the most common form of can- Mammography Unit. (The Mobile tumour is small and most treatable, agnosis of breast cancer and its role cer, Dr Hiral explains that it would Mammography Unit (MMU) of so it is important that women fol- in the treatment plan. be wise for women to go for screen- NACA launched in early 2010 has low recommended guidelines for International and national ex- ing as they age. been offering free of charge mam- finding breast cancer before the perts will speak on various subjects Breast self-exam, clinical self mography. The MMU is dedicated symptoms develop. related to the topic on the day. exam and ultra sound are the most to offering digital mammograms On an average, mammography While Yuthar Al Rawahi, chair- common types of breast cancer across the Sultanate and has been will detect about 80 90 per cent of person of National Association of screening. travelling the roads of Oman to of- breast cancers in women without Cancer Awareness, will speak on “Mammography is still the gold fer mammogram services to the the symptoms. ‘Why Breast Cancer Screening?’, Dr standard in early detection of residents, nationals and expatriates For details of the conference, S K Ramani, professor of radiology breast cancer,” says Dr Hiral, who in the Sultanate. contact hiral@aafiyaaimaging.com