Myth or Medicine? Why Men Suckling Women’s Breasts Won’t Prevent Breast Cancer

 It’s one of those myths that just won’t go away. You’ve probably seen the claim circulating on social media or heard it whispered in a barbershop — that men suckling women’s breasts can somehow prevent breast cancer.

Now, the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) has come out to set the record straight: there’s absolutely no scientific evidence to support this idea.

During a Breast Cancer Awareness Month event at the Uganda Media Center, Dr. Naghib Bogere, an oncologist at UCI, addressed the growing misinformation head-on. “We know that breastfeeding is one of the proven ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer,” he said. “The longer a woman breastfeeds, the more her breast cells mature, making them less likely to develop cancer. But these changes cannot happen if a husband is the one suckling the breasts.”

In other words — men, you can show your support in better ways.

Dr. Bogere explained that such myths may seem harmless, but they can actually prevent women from taking meaningful steps to protect their health. “Misinformation like this gives people false hope,” he warned. “It distracts from real prevention — like early screening and regular check-ups.”

He encouraged men to be allies in the fight against breast cancer by reminding their partners to examine their breasts monthly, watching out for any unusual lumps, pain, or discharge, and seeking medical help right away. “When breast cancer is detected early, up to 90% of cases can be successfully treated,” Dr. Bogere noted.

And here’s something many people don’t realize: men can get breast cancer too.
According to UCI data, about one in every 25 breast cancer patients in Uganda is male. “Men also have breast tissue and should not ignore changes in their chests,” Dr. Bogere said.

Throughout October, the Uganda Cancer Institute will hold free breast cancer screening camps and awareness drives across the country — an effort to promote early detection and counter the flood of misinformation that often circulates during awareness campaigns.

Dr. Jackson Orem, the Executive Director of UCI, emphasized that breast cancer remains the leading cancer among women in Uganda, with over 4,000 new cases each year. “Many of these women come to us too late,” he said. “We want to change that — and part of the solution is making sure the right information reaches the public.”

So, the next time you hear someone say men suckling women’s breasts prevents cancer, you’ll know the truth — it doesn’t. What really saves lives is knowledge, early screening, and timely treatment.

DRC Rolls Out Digital "E-trace" Platform

At the African Mining Week 1-3 October, 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) took a significant step toward transforming its vast mineral sector, launching a digital platform designed to bring unprecedented transparency to its critical supply chains. 

The state-owned mineral certification agency, the Centre d’Expertise, d’Evaluation et de Certification (CEEC), announced the new platform, titled "E-trace," which promises to track minerals from the moment they are mined until they are exported.

Asene Didier Musiripu, Director and South Africa Representative, CEEC, said the tool helps mining projects align with national and international sustainability norms. “One of the major aims is to empower and formalize artisanal and small mining operations, ensuring they abide to the Mining Code and responsible practices,” he said.

Louis Watum Kabamba, Minister of Mines, DRC speaking at the event, acknowledged that to secure capital, the country must reform its image and its practices. "If you want investment FDI to flow in the country, we've got to make sure we demonstrate good governance," he said.

This initiative is a direct response to longstanding global concerns over the origin of minerals from the region. The stated goals of E-trace are to ensure responsible sourcing, curb illegal mining, and improve the contribution of mineral resources to the national economy. 

CEEC has also over the past two years commissioned an ultra-modern and chemical lab in Musompo to analyze mineral substances and trading through data capture across the mining value chain. CEEC operates six subsidiaries across the DRC’s mining value chain, ensuring certification in gold, diamond, copper, cobalt, colored stones and rare earths.

Kabamba said the sector is a massive driver of the nation's economy and social fabric. "The mining sector is a very big contributor to DRC economy," he stated, noting that it directly employs over 100,000 people.

He emphasized the profound ripple effect of this employment, explaining that in an African context, each job supports a large extended family. "You can easily multiply every worker in the mining sector by 15 or 20," he said, illustrating the immense social impact of the industry. Beyond jobs, the sector provides critical revenue to the national treasury through direct and indirect taxes and royalties.

The benefits are also designed to reach the local level directly. The DRC's mining law mandates that at least 0.3% of a mining project's annual turnover must be allocated to community development projects. Furthermore, a portion of royalties from every mineral sale also trickles down to local communities, making the health of the sector vital for grassroots development.

The DRC is also investing in AI technology to maximize and simplify mineral exploration and production. “We want to use advanced technology to unlock lithium potential. We are also second to Chile in copper production and we want to be first,” added Kabamba.

The government is also focused on shifting its economic model away from simply exporting raw materials. The minister described the current system as an "extractive model" where semi-finished products are shipped abroad. "By doing so, we're exporting our jobs, we're exporting our profits," he stated. The new vision is for "local beneficiation," or local value addition, to ensure more economic benefits remain within the DRC.

To facilitate this, the government is creating Special Economic Zones with favorable tax regimes and "one-stop shop" facilities to make it more competitive and secure for investors to process minerals locally.

The opportunities for new investment are immense. The minister revealed that less than 10% of the DRC's mineral endowment is currently under exploration or being exploited, meaning "over 90% is out there brand new... as virgin as the first day of creation". These opportunities exist not only in "green field exploration" but also in injecting new capital into existing assets that may be in financial distress.

Moses Engadu, Secretary General of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), urged African nations to embrace collective mineral diplomacy for the continent to capture greater benefits from its resources.

He highlighted the need to accelerate mineral beneficiation by developing local processing and refining facilities which would secure jobs, retain wealth, increase tax revenues and strengthen local expertise.

Engadu called for the adoption of digital traceability and tokenization technologies to combat illegal mining and resource mismanagement. “We launched the Madini tokenization initiative to give every African mineral a secure digital twin, ensuring transparency in origin, value, and custody,” he said.