Pink October: Foreign Ministry Holds Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Day

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs (MAEC) held a breast cancer awareness and screening day for its staff on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at its offices in Port-au-Prince. The initiative was organized in collaboration with the Groupe de Support Contre le Cancer (GSCC) as part of the Pink October campaign.

Two breast cancer survivors — a GSCC representative and a senior ministry official — shared their stories with the staff in attendance.

In her remarks, Foreign Minister Raina Forbin stressed the importance of prevention and screening and encouraged staff to pay closer attention to their health.

“This October, dedicated to breast cancer awareness, I wanted us to come together here at the ministry around a cause that concerns every one of us: health, prevention and, above all, life,” the minister said.

The initiative is part of the Pink October campaign, which raises awareness of breast cancer and promotes early screening, a key factor in improving the chances of treatment and survival.

The toll of breast cancer in numbers

According to estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), Haiti recorded about 1,952 new cases of breast cancer among women and 880 deaths from the disease in 2024. Worldwide, about 2.3 million new cases and 666,000 deaths were estimated in 2022, according to WHO data.

These figures underscore the scale of the disease and the importance of awareness, early screening and access to care.

Moïse François