By NORMA SIAME –
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) will continue supporting the Zambian Government in improving cancer prevention and control programmes in line with the global action plan on non-communicable diseases, a senior official has said.
WHO country director for Zambia Jacob Mafunda was speaking during the commemoration of World Cancer Day held in Kasama under the theme “Cancer is not beyond us”.
Dr Mafunda, who had earlier toured various districts in Northern Province, said the role of the WHO was to support the development and implementation of national cancer policies and programmes by setting standards, promoting surveillance, encouraging evidence based prevention, early detection, treatment and palliative care.
“Non-communicable diseases like cancer can be prevented by avoiding major risk factors like being overweight, low fruit and vegetable intake, and tobacco and alcohol use.
“Reducing the burden of cancer is not beyond us and I therefore, call up everybody to avoid the risk factors by adopting healthy lifestyles and going for regular checkups,” he said.
Speaking in a speech read on his behalf by Northern Province Permanent Secretary Hlobotha Nkunkina, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Davy Chikatama said celebrating World Cancer Day provided an opportunity to emphasise the need to harness and mobilise solutions.
Dr Chikatama said the prevalence of cancer disease have been rising significantly in Zambia turning it into a major health concern.
Estimates show the overall cancer incidence for Zambia in 2012 was 9,953 per 100,000. Mortality was 7,521 deaths per 100,000 with the most common cancers being cervical, prostate, breast and Kaposi’s sarcoma.
“Cancers are particularly challenging because prevention often require significant lifestyle changes, screening can be complex, time consuming and resource intensive while treatment of cancers of all types is difficult even resource rich environments,” Dr Chikatama said.
To mark the celebrations, Kasama General Hospital had been providing screening services for the past three days where more than 5,000 plus people were attended to. Of the people screened 679 tested positive for different cancers.
