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Sustained awareness drive linked to increased cancer screening
Deliberate and very fervent efforts have been plugged into the fight against cancer. Among these efforts is awareness which has undoubtedly been instrumental in leading to early detection and by extension treatment. This notion was amplified by officials of the Guyana Cancer Institute during a press conference on Tuesday where the urgent need to reduce, as far as possible, the prevalence of cancer, was amplified.
Public health officials have long been able to ascertain that cancer related deaths here in Guyana are so daunting that they are only preceded by cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases.
However, statistical data are yet to be derived to officially determine the cancer data in Guyana. But according to Medical Director and Consultant Oncologist at the Cancer Institute, Dr. Sayan Chakraborty, although the statistical data are not yet mature, “I can say one thing definitely, that a number of patients I use to see in advance stages – stage three, stage four – are decreasing.”
“Right now, we are seeing more patients in lesser advance stages. There was a time that almost every patient I use to see I would find them in advanced stage. They would not have done the treatment for two years, three years but nowadays that type of patient is decreasing,” said Dr. Sayan Chakraborty, who is commonly called Dr Sayan.
This new trend, he divulged, is pleasing especially since it means that patients are seeking medical care much earlier thus their infliction is at a stage where it is very treatable. “That is one of the silver linings, we would say…At least some part of the awareness campaign, some part of the screening campaign is now showing the light,” said Dr. Sayan.
The Cancer Institute has over the years been involved in several outreaches across the country which have been helping to improve awareness to the extent that the number of persons seeking to be screened for cancer has been increasing.
Even as Outreach Director at the Cancer Institute, Dr. Syed Ghazi, agreed with the notion that awareness has been crucial in the cancer fight, he, like Dr. Sayan, noted that more time needs to elapse before the cancer statistics can be forthcoming.
“We need a five-year period to deduct anything right now [but] we are at the same levels as we started…it is not increasing and awareness is increasing,” said Dr. Ghazi as he reiterated the importance of awareness in realising such results.
“We have spread the word,” said Dr. Ghazi. He underscored that the Cancer Institute has not been working in isolation but rather has been forging strategic collaborations.
During its outreaches the moves are always made to work closely with the Ministry of Public Health.
“Ministry of [Public] Health is completely with us. Whenever we go out to do screening, we are not going out alone. We are taking our team, our resource but they [the Ministry] are providing their hospitals and their health centres when we do screening. So it is definitely a partnership and definitely I see a change.
“I see a change in a sense. Women [are] coming in [the] hundreds because they know about it [cancer] and, what it is causing,” Dr. Ghazi shared.
The Cancer Institute has also been working closely with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC]. This has translated over time to the two entities seeking support from each other in times of need.
“In October, they had outreaches and they asked us to join and provide free pap smears and we did that…Similarly when we need their help and we have some patients who need some treatment they come forward and help. It is not a written pact or contract but it is a mutual understanding, a professional bonding, a humanitarian bonding actually,” said Dr. Ghazi.
He is hopeful that all organisations with similar health interest should instead of competing with each other, develop a bond and communicate more. Amplifying the need for such a stance was Dr. Sayan, who added, “I think conglomeration on a bonding is more important than dismantling a competition.”
It is such a relation, Dr. Ghazi said, that the Cancer Institute has been able to forge with the GPHC. “We work very closely with the doctors over there…although we are not part of the GPHC in every sense, we are very closely bonded with them just for the benefit of the people,” he added.
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