Cancer: The new killer

Lazarus Sauti

Cancer has overtaken HIV and Aids as the leading killer in Zimbabwe.

This disease that is plaguing people in the country comes in various forms: throat cancer, brain tumours, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, eye cancer, heart cancer, leukemia, oral cancer, ovarian cancers, urethral cancer, liver cancer as well as melanoma.

Unfortunately, for most citizens, the detection and treatment of cancer is incredibly hi-tech and expensive.

More so, what makes it more dangerous than HIV and Aids is the fact that it comes so unexpectedly and with a certain amount of sophistication.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Zimbabwe Report 2014 says cancer is the new killer.

According to the report, cancers topped the list with 10 percent of deaths in the country followed by cardio-vascular diseases (nine percent), chronic lung diseases (three percent), and diabetes (one percent).

The WHO report also notes that cancer seriously affects children and most children with cancer live in developing countries, a fact supported by Dr Ntombi Mahlangu Muchuchuti, director of Kidzcan Zimbabwe, the only organisation in the country dedicated to increasing the survival rate of children with cancer.

In her presentation at a media cancer awareness workshop held by the Radiation Authority of Zimbabwe (RAoZ) recently, Dr Muchuchuti notes that more than 80 percent of children with cancer live in the developing world with an overall survival rate of 20 percent whilst 20 percent of children with cancer live in the developed world with an overall survival rate of 80 percent.

Junior Mavu of the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (Cancer Centre), a non-profit making organization which was started in 1961, says although cancer has become the new killer disease, people are shying away from openly discussing this new disease.

“Although cancer awareness programmes are being implemented, we have not reached a stage where we can safely say the people are aware of cancer,” Mavu said, adding that “efforts to do extensive awareness programmes are hampered by lack of funding.”

Eunice Garanganga, Palliative Care Technical Adviser at Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Zimbabwe (Hospaz) – a member organisation that provides and supports palliative care providers through capacity enhancement, setting and monitoring standards of care, advocacy and membership coordination, adds that the high cost of cancer medication is impacting negatively on efforts being made in making sure this disease is kept under control.

“Definitely, this (cost) is a major challenge and very serious issue with cancer patients and their families; it is not just the high cost, but also availability and easy access to treatment centres which, at the moment, are in Harare and Bulawayo only provided by Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC).

“The MOHCC is the only source with the cheapest treatment, but have limited stocks,” the palliative care nurse said, adding that “the other issue is on cancer specialists who are very few and concentrated in major cities only, thus appointments are overstretched.

“Patients and families would require transport to these centres as well as accommodation while waiting to be seen or while receiving treatment such as radiotherapy.”

Dr Owen Mugurungi – the Health and Child Care Ministry’s preventive services acting principal director suggests that domestic health financing must be improved to address new challenges such as the rising levels of cancers.

Sharing the same sentiments, Itai Rusike of the Community Working Group on Health, a network of civic/community based organisations that aim to collectively enhance community participation in health in Zimbabwe, says there is need to increase funding if the country is to cure cancer.

“Cancer is a very expensive disease that many today do not have access to treatment, even if they do, they cannot afford the drugs or the surgery needed to remove such ailments,” he said, urging the government to increase funding if the country is to effectively deal with the new killer disease.

Cancer Association of Zimbabwe monitoring and evaluation coordinator Lovemore Makurirofa believe the dissemination of health information is of paramount importance to the cure of cancer.

He, therefore, urges stakeholders in the health sector to embark on serious current awareness programmes about the disease.

Further, Makurirofa encourages people to be tested of cancer as he believes that early detection of the disease greatly reduces the cost of treatment.

“When cancer is detected earlier, it becomes cheap to the patient and chances of cure are high,” he said.

Frank Makombe, a dietician, encourages people to be more health conscious.

“Some foods increase the risk of cancer, while others support the body and strengthen the immune system. Because of this, people should be conscious about their lifestyles, especially diet.

“They should make smart food choices,” he said, adding: “by making smart food choices, you can protect your health, feel better, and boost your ability fight off cancer and other diseases.”

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, a non-profit academic medical center in Baltimore, Maryland, also encourages people to be proactive as well as to develop a positive spirit if they are to defeat all forms of cancers.

It sums up: “Cancer is a disease of the mind, body and spirit. A proactive approach as well as positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit; learn to relax and enjoy life.”