UAE takes measures to address concerns over women's health

A woman smokes a water pipe (shisha) in a cafe in Dubai in May 2008. Smoking also causes a high percentage of cancerous diseases among women. (Marwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images The United Arab Emirates Health Authority has issued a statement calling for women between the ages of 40 and 69 to undergo yearly mammograms, which are included in their health insurance. The move is the latest in a series of initiatives to reduce the rate of breast cancer among women.Breast cancer is the most lethal disease among women in the UAE. The National Centre for Statistics reports that it accounts for 23 percent of the total cancer cases in the country.Health officials are hoping that the mammogram campaign will promote the early detection of cancer. At present, only 30 percent of breast cancer cases in the UAE are diagnosed early, before cancer cells have grown significantly.