The Rotary Club of St. Vincent has teamed up with the Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment (MOHWE) to launch its first major Global Grant-funded project with input from several Rotary Clubs in Taiwan across 11 Districts.

A release from the Club states that the project, which comprises two main components, will focus on the problem of breast cancer which is responsible for a large percentage of deaths mainly among the female population of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

The Global Grant, funded by Rotary International with financial contributions from the Rotary Club of Taipei Prosperity, among others, was granted on June 30, 2022 in the amount of US$183,183.00.

Taiwan’s Ambassador to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Peter Sha-Li Lin presented the project opportunity in September 2021 on behalf of the Rotary Taiwan family and the Rotary Club of St. Vincent in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Taipei Prosperity and the Ministry of Health immediately sprang into action, the release states.

Through this two-part Grant funded project, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent and the Ministry of Health will implement an ongoing awareness and education campaign which extends beyond the traditional Breast Cancer awareness period in October, engaging the public to reduce the stigma associated with breast screenings.
Additionally, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent has purchased and will present to the MOHWE three mobile ultrasound screening units, which are expected to arrive in SVG by January 2023.

Thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Taiwan, a capacity-building component is also included, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan), has donated US$40,000.00 towards the training of local medical personnel in the use and interpretation of data produced by these units.

These mobile units will increase access to screening services for residents of rural and hard-to-reach areas, particularly in the Grenadines. With easier access to primary screening services, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent says it hopes to champion the cause that early detection indeed saves lives, and to encourage a culture of routine screening as a regular aspect of women’s and men’s health.

These services will be available at no cost to residents.

Providing some background information, the Rotary release notes that research suggests that with early detection, breast cancer patients have an increased likelihood of survival rate.

Therefore, early detection, education and increased access to screening services are among the best tools in our fight against breast cancer.

The project proposal submitted was for increased access to breast cancer education and screening services in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

Led by President Daniel Campbell and Immediate Past President Dr. Janelle Allen, the project team will drive the implementation of this Breast Cancer Awareness Project over two years, with results forecasted to be measurable in the medium to long term, through a reduction in the incidences of breast cancer-related deaths as a result of early detection through increased education, awareness and regular, accessible screening.

Rotary International is a non-profit humanitarian service organisation comprising over 1.4 million members in over 46,000 Clubs worldwide.

As Rotarians, we are committed to advancing good in the world through goodwill and the execution of projects which benefit humanity and enhance quality of life, the Rotary Club’s release notes.

The project was launched last Friday, November 18 at Grenadines House.