BREAST CANCER ADVOCACY SUMMIT IN BELARUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000812

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2017
TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI BO
SUBJECT: BREAST CANCER ADVOCACY SUMMIT IN BELARUS


Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).

Summary
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1. (SBU) Ambassador and Emboffs attended the Third Biannual
Eastern Europe and Central Asia Breast Cancer Advocacy Summit
in Minsk on September 15. The summit, which received
Democracy Commission funding, gathered the full spectrum of
breast cancer specialists from the region and the United
States to discuss recent advocacy efforts in their countries.
Participants agreed on the need for further efforts to
educate the public about the disease, and to develop
strategies to induce their governments to take stronger
action to combat breast cancer. Many participants noted the
stigma associated with the disease in their countries and
that women hesitate to go in for screenings and to seek
treatment. End summary.

Advocacy
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2. (U) The main Belarusian attendees were Irina Kozulina
(breast cancer advocate and wife of jailed former
presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin),Dr. Tanya Soldak
of CitiHope International, and Dr. Leonid Putyrski, the Chief
Mammologist at the Ministry of Health's Mammological Center.
Presenters explained advocacy, since it is a new concept in
Belarus. Medical and non-medical experts discussed
initiating advocacy efforts, obtaining financial support, and
overcoming obstacles.


3. (U) Key areas for advocacy in Belarus include inducing the
government to encourage women to seek screening, to fund
equipment and support for cancer detection, and to provide
more accessible treatment. There is only one mammography
center in Belarus, with no mobile facilities. Beyond
infrastructure and government support, Belarus needs breast
cancer education. Many Belarusians still blame the victim
for contracting the disease through their own negative
behavior.

Conspicuous Lack of Media Coverage
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4. (C) Unfortunately, media outlets largely ignored the
event, which was partially funded by post's Democracy
Commission to support activist networking in civil society.
Media coverage could have helped breast cancer education
efforts. On the positive side, the lack of attention from
the authorities allowed attendees to participate without
hindrance. Some participants suggested that Kozulina's
active participation in the summit caused the conspicuous
lack of media coverage, though others faulted Putyrski, a
government employee, who decided not to use his position to
drum up media attention.

Comment
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5. (C) Breast cancer advocacy remains in its nascent stages
in Belarus, and despite the active participation of
international NGO's the issue is still not receiving
sufficient attention and support from the government.
Although the government propaganda apparatus often highlights
the health care system as an advantage of life in Belarus,
authorities do not dedicate enough resources to breast
cancer. The government may not want to promote awareness of
the disease because of a perceived connection between it and
Chernobyl, the effects of which the government has been
actively trying to minimize. Or authorities may perceive
advocacy as too much interference into government business,
especially when a prominent opposition activist is involved.
The conference attendees, however, seemed energized to expand
the advocacy concept.
Stewart