Latifa Hospital organizes Endometriosis Awareness Campaign

Campaign in line with International Endometriosis Awareness month which is held in March every year

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2015:  In line with the global endometriosis awareness month which takes place in March every year, Latifa Hospital recently organised an Endometriosis Awareness Campaign which was held at hospital premises.

The ongoing campaign will continue with a public gathering at Burj Khalifa park on the 28th of march to raise community awareness about the disease.

Endometriosis  affects 5 to 10 per cent of the female population, it significantly impacts the daily life of a woman, it is a painful disease and often affects women during the reproductive years of their life, therefore awareness as well as education about the need for early intervention is crucial.

Dr Muna Tahlak, CEO of the Latifa Hospital, said: “Early detection, especially amongst adolescents, can help prevent future complications such as infertility and chronic pelvic pain. Early knowledge of the symptoms can help provide necessary guidelines for patients to prevent further complications and unnecessary surgeries. Therefore we urge women to be proactive, recognise signs and symptoms of the disease and seek immediate medical intervention.”

She said symptoms include but are not limited to menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain, pain during and after intercourse, infertility and other related symptoms.

Tahlak said Latifa Hospital has the first-of-its-kind dedicated Endometriosis clinic in the UAE, which was inaugurated in September 2012, and on an average, so far the clinic sees twelve patients per week and has performed approximately 100 surgeries per year. She added that surgery is the last resort and therefore early detection is vital for better outcomes.

Dr Ghassan Lotfi, Consultant Gynaecologist, Chair of the Endometriosis Care Centre at Latifa Hospital and President of the Emirates Endometriosis League, said: “The aim of this initiative is to educate women to come forward as soon as they experience the signs and symptoms of the disease. Prolonging treatment, particularly during the reproductive years of a woman is detrimental to the woman's health and her ability to conceive.”

During the awareness campaign in Latifa hospital, medical professionals distributed awareness booklets.