Tanzania unveils first Senographe Pristina Digital Mammography: another key milestone for early detection of breast cancer in East Africa

TheAgaKhan Hospital, Dar es Salaam (AKHS) has installed GE Healthcare’s SenographePristina, a more advanced and comfortablemammographysystemfor patients, withnext-generation 3-D digital technologyfor the first time in Tanzania. The hospital endeavors togivegreater access to high quality breast healthcare for women as a part of its comprehensive cancer care program and its vision toprovideaccess to quality healthcare within the country. The launch is also in line with the government’s Health Sector Strategic Plan to improve prevention and management of non-communicable diseases.

Designed by a team of female GE Healthcare engineers who used their own insights coupled with feedback from more than 1,000 other patients, technologists and radiologists, SenographePristinahelpsto addressthe fear of discomfort that women face around mammograms.The system offers comfort features for a better patient and technologist experience, including rounded corners instead of sharp edges that used to poke patients’ ribs and armpits, and armrests for women to lean on instead of conventionalhandgrips, so women can relax their muscles during the exam, which simplifies positioning, compression and image acquisition.

Speaking during the launch Mr.SulaimanShahabuddin, Regional Chief Executive Officer,AgaKhan Health Services, East Africa said, “Radiology department atAKHShas been a pioneer in investing in advanced technologies to enhance diagnostics which play a key role inmodern daymanagement of patient. Mr. Shahabuddin added, “We were proud to the first to start MRI services in the country, initiated provision of image guided minimally invasive procedures including biopsies and drainages, installed a first ever complete Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) andRadiology InformationSystem(RIS) and the only private institution with a Cardiac Catheterization lab, Radio Nuclear Medicine & Chemotherapy suite."

Mammograms play a key rolein the detection ofbreast cancer, a disease if caught earlier is more likely curable.This ultra-modern unit will further boost the efforts of the institution to not only increase awareness with screening campaigns performed every first Saturday of the month butwill also aid in early detection of the disease.

Chief guest Dr. Daisy Majamba, Regional Dental Officer, Dar es Salaam representing Dr. Yudas Ndungile, Regional Medical Officer, Dar es Salaam said, “Breast cancer is thesecond most common cancerin women after cancer of the cervix andsecond leading cause of cancer mortality among women in Tanzania. Itis predictedthatthere will be 82% increase in number of new breast cancers diagnosed in Tanzania by 2030 with an increase of 80% in breast cancer deaths by 2030. The launch of the digitalmammographysystem is a huge milestone in the country’s public-private partnerships in the fight against cancer”.

AndrewWaititu, Managing Director of GE Healthcare East Africacommending on the launch said, “Breast cancer is a scary thought for every woman and hence early detection of the disease remains key in the disease control. We are proud to partner withAKHSto bring digitalmammographyservices for the people ofTanzania that will help in the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of the disease.”

Tanzania is the second country in Sub-Sahara Africa to install themammographywith the next-generation 3-D digital technology after South Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GE.

Media C ontact : Olayce S. Lotha olayce.lotha@akhst.org +255 717 516 650

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