Measures apace to strengthen fight against NCDs

May 17, 2017 News

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Non Communicable Diseases, including cancers, are the main cause of morbidity and mortality in Guyana. This is according to Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence, who revealed that based on Guyana’s cancer data during the period 2003 – 2012, a total of 6,518 cases were recorded with an annual incidence rate of 87.3 per 100,000 population.

She revealed that the number of females affected have amounted to 3,956 or 60.7 percent while males were 2,561 representing 39.3 percent.

Although recent statistics are not yet available, Minister Lawrence said, “if we were to judge by the trend over the ten-year period, then we have every reason to worry. Our need to intervene becomes even more imperative and to my mind, the timing of this workshop is opportune.”

The Minister was at the time speaking at a Workshop on Cancer Diagnosis and Management, spearheaded by the Pan American Health Organisation [PAHO], which commenced yesterday at the Pegasus Hotel.

Other speakers at the opening of the workshop, which saw the attendance of several health officials who play a key role in the fight against cancer and other NCDs, were PAHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud.

It was in fact Dr. Adu-Krow’s intent to situate the workshop within the context of the Ministry of Public Health’s priority plan, to strengthen national efforts to address the spate of non-communicable diseases, and in particular, the high incidence of cancers.

The World Health Organization, the International Monitoring Agency for NCDs, has revealed the startling data that NCDs are the leading cause of deaths worldwide, accounting for eighty-two (82%) of all deaths in humans. The statistics further substantiate that all groups and all regions are affected, that high-income and more so medium and low income countries are all at risk by NCDs – that is, some 28 million deaths in low and medium income countries.

As such, Minister Lawrence concurred that “We have to respond effectively and promptly to the threat of NCDs, inclusive of cancers, and seek ways to eliminate the preventable loss of life”.

Moreover, the focus of the workshop, which will continue until tomorrow, will be centred on building the capacity of doctors to screen, diagnose, and effectively and appropriately treat persons with cancers, with a vision of improving the performance of the health care team and patient outcomes in cancer care and treatment.

The expectation is that medical personnel, at the end of the workshop, will be more knowledgeable about early detection, diagnosis and treatment of common cancers as well as palliative care, and will be in a better position to impact on the prevention and control of NCDs in Guyana and reduce morbidity and mortality from cancers.

And according to Minister Lawrence, “I have no doubt that the goal of this workshop is achievable, since we have a core of eminent specialists as resource persons, experts in their various oncological fields, and a team of eager participants passionate for the knowledge and expertise that will enable them to strengthen the overall health sector by improving the diagnosis and management of cancers.”

Further the Minister said, “I envisage that the interchange of ideas will be top-notch, stimulating and invaluable in charting the way forward”.

Even as she acknowledged the invaluable contribution of PAHO/WHO, to the Public Health Ministry, Minister Lawrence reflected on the incidence of NCDs and cancers within the Guyana context.

According to her, “the prevalence of these diseases is threatening the human resource which is so pivotal to the social and economic sustainability of our country. Therefore our response to the WHO’s appeal for measures to reduce the modifiable risk factors for NCDs and underlying social determinants, through the creation of health-promoting environments, must be channeled at every level of our population throughout the length and breadth of our country”.

For this very reason she asserted that “Our intervention for the prevention and control of NCDs and cancers must be strategic and robust, innovative policies must be designed and implemented to impact the gaps and strengthen the health systems”.

In addition, Minister Lawrence noted that even the local medical professionals are involved in the acquisition of the requisite knowledge, detailing the steps to combat, treat, and manage the disease, there must be in place an agenda.

“They too need to have an understanding of the challenges of cancers. Too many of us, I believe, remain aloof, ignorant of the real facts until we or a member of our family are affected…the words cervical, prostate, uterine, colon, staging, screening, biopsy are absent from our parlance,” the Health Minister underscored.

She continued, “Our half-hearted response is premised on the fact that it does not concern us, so need to learn; but erroneous and short-sighted are we, if we choose not to become au fait with the basic facts. We have to allow the information to filter down to the ordinary folk.”

For this reason, the Minister proposed a move to have the Ministry’s Action Plan re-examined, adding, “we have to evaluate the impact we have made on the modifiable risk factors by studying the data, and set new indicators that can bring about effective changes in behaviours, lifestyles and environment that are related to the NCDs and cancers”.

In so doing, she stressed the need to mobilize and encourage persons in all 10 Administrative Regions to embrace strategies for control and prevention of cancers.

“We have to teach them to self-examine, to have regular check-ups, to exercise and to eat nutritiously,” said Minister Lawrence, as she emphasized the need to collectively synchronize and synergize efforts at every level of society.

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