Event details
- Date: October 1 – 31, 2025
- Time: Weekdays, 08:00 – 14:00
- Venue: YGOPH – Gynaecology outpatient department, Ngousso
- Cost: Free
- For: Women aged 25 and over, and anyone who wants to learn the warning signs
- Status: Completed
Quick contact
Event overview:
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Cameroon, and cervical cancer the second. Both are too often discovered at an advanced stage, when treatment is longer and less likely to succeed. Yet early detection saves lives: a small lump or a precancerous lesion found early can usually be treated simply and successfully.
Throughout October 2025, YGOPH joined the worldwide Octobre Rose movement with a month of awareness and screening. Women were invited to our gynaecology outpatient department for a clinical breast examination and cervical cancer screening by visual inspection (VIA/VILI), and to learn how to examine their own breasts each month. Short talks were also held in our waiting areas.
The campaign built on the skills our staff had refreshed a few weeks earlier during international training with Geneva University Hospitals. Women with abnormal results were referred directly to our gynaecological oncology team for further tests and, where needed, treatment.
Highlights
Free screening
Clinical breast examination and VIA/VILI cervical screening at no cost during the campaign.
Self-examination
Practical teaching of breast self-examination in five simple steps.
Awareness talks
Short talks in waiting areas on risk factors, warning signs and prevention.
Direct referral
Women with abnormal findings were referred to our gynaecological oncology team.
Programme
- Week 1 – Launch and awareness: Opening of the campaign and talks in the gynaecology and paediatric waiting areas.
- Weeks 2 – 4 – Screening days: Clinical breast examinations and VIA/VILI screening in the gynaecology outpatient department.
- Every weekday – Self-examination teaching: Midwives and nurses showed women how to examine their breasts at home.
- End of October – Follow-up: Results explained, and further tests or treatment arranged for women who needed them.
Who should attend?
- Women aged 25 to 65 who had not been screened recently
- Women who had noticed a change in their breasts
- Mothers, sisters and daughters who wanted to come together
- Anyone wishing to learn the warning signs of women’s cancers
Practical information
- Venue: Gynaecology outpatient department, YGOPH, Ngousso.
- When: Throughout October 2025, Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 14:00.
- Cost: Clinical breast examination and VIA/VILI screening were free during the campaign.
- Register: No appointment was needed. Information: (+237) 670 607 278.
What was achieved
Octobre Rose 2025 gave many women the opportunity to be screened, some for the first time, and to learn a simple habit that can save their lives. Women with abnormal results were offered follow-up in our gynaecological oncology service, and the campaign confirmed the strong demand for regular screening throughout the year.
Questions & answers
Does breast screening hurt?
No. A clinical breast examination is a simple, painless check by a doctor, midwife or nurse. VIA/VILI cervical screening is also quick and generally painless.
What happens if something abnormal is found?
You are seen by our gynaecological oncology team, who explain the result and arrange any further tests, such as an ultrasound, mammography, colposcopy or biopsy.
Can I be screened outside October?
Yes. Screening is available all year in our gynaecology service, Monday to Friday, 07:30 – 15:30.