Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
90 million people to die from cancer by 2018
Almost 200 cases diagnosed in Guyana annually – Health Minister
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has revealed that approximately 90 million persons worldwide will die in the next ten years from cancer.
During the third annual symposium of the Avon Breast Cancer Committee, which was held at Le Meridien on Wednesday, Dr. Ramsammy said that while eight million people die globally each year due to the disease, nearly 200 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in Guyana every year.
In this regard, the Health Minister said, the Ministry of Health has been working on the four planks of an effective cancer control program. These planks are: prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and palliative care.
Dr Ramsammy noted that Guyana has moved ahead in aggressively tackling the predisposing factors for cancer, and in this regard the issue of behavioural change is being aggressively pursued.
“Tobacco use remains the most measurable behaviour change option to prevent cancer. Why we need to beg people to stop smoking is still a mystery to me! Smoking kills! Smoking is a major cause of cancer! It is unacceptable that people ignore these well-established scientific findings,” Minister Ramsammy said.
The minister questioned why a member of any family afflicted by cancer would smoke, knowing the dangers that lurk around.
In this instance, he noted that, globally, the leaders have done a terrible job of demonstrating the stupendous dangers of tobacco products.
Currently, Guyana is observing Cancer Awareness Month; and, according to Minister Ramsammy, much has changed over the years. He, however, did admit that Guyana has not yet reached the stage where the ministry has optimised its access to quality anti-cancer services.
“The fact is that we have reached the stage where 50 percent of those who were diagnosed five years ago are still alive. Prior to 2000, more than 50 percent of persons living with cancer died within five years of their diagnosis.”
Minister Ramsammy once again urged Guyanese to do more self-examination. He stressed that although this is not the solution to the problem, it is the effectiveness that has been well-established.
“Here, again, I urge the groups to work with us – self-examination works. Every family should be trained at their homes. We have the ability to put such a program in place. I urge all of you – let us come together and affirm our cooperation that, during Cancer Awareness Month 2009, we will report on the number of families we have touched.”
In this regard, the Health Minister has set a goal of reaching out to 50,000 families with a breast self-examination training programme by October 2009.
Dr Ramsammy explained that very often people miss the very salient fact that cancer is to a large extent avoidable.
He noted that many forms of cancer are preventable, while, if detected early, others can be treated and cured; and even with late stage detection and progression, cancer can be slowed and pain reduced.
In this respect, Dr. Ramsammy appealed for organisations to work together, since success in the fight against cancer must be founded on solidarity.
“Cancer respects none of us, and will, like a thief in the night, enter our lives with disastrous consequences. It will attack the rich and the poor.
“It will attack us whether we are blacks or East Indians, Amerindians or Chinese, Portuguese or Mixed. It does not care where we live, and it does not respect our gods, since it will attack Christians, Hindus, Muslims or Bahai’s, or even if you do not subscribe to a God.
“It attacks us whether we are young or old. It does not matter to this enemy whether we voted for the PPP/C, the PNC/R, the AFC, ROAR, GAP. It truly, genuinely, does not discriminate.”
In Guyana, he said, cancer can truly now be classified as a chronic and potentially reversible disease.
He explained that the country has introduced both chemotherapy and radiotherapy to go along with surgical intervention for various forms of cancer, including breast cancer.
According to Dr Ramsammy, Guyana is spending more than $100 million on chemotherapy alone.
“This is an expensive option, but an option we had to undertake. It is a bold, new avenue for Guyana… Hundreds of persons are accessing radiotherapy through assistance provided by the Guyana Government.
“We wish we could take over the full charges for radiotherapy, but it is not a feasible option at this time,” Dr Ramsammy said.
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