It listed the most common forms are cancers of the breast,
cervix, prostate, bowel, colon, rectum and liver.
In a speech, yesterday to commemorate the World Cancer Day,
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said current focus
should be on the implementation of a comprehensive surveillance system, and
investment in digital innovations to improve cancer care.
“Over the past 20 years, new cancer cases have more than
doubled in the African region, from 338,000 cases reported in 2002 to almost
846,000 cases in 2020,” he said.
According to him, the risk factors include, old age and
family history, use of tobacco and alcohol, a diet high in sugar, salt and fat,
physical inactivity, being overweight and exposure to specific chemicals, among
others.
He also spoke on the factors promoting the rise in cancer
cases, saying that industry interference is a growing challenge, including
promotion and marketing of known cancer-causing products, such as tobacco.
He stated that 44 countries in the region have ratified the
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control towards reducing tobacco use and
that 20 have ratified the WHO protocol to eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco
Products.
He added that in many communities in African countries,
people have limited access to cancer screening and early detection, diagnosis
and treatment.
He said only about 30 per cent of African children diagnosed
with cancer survive, compared to 80 per cent of children in high-income
economies.
He said that healthcare relief for patients should be
integrated into benefits packages and social insurance schemes.
“Challenges in access to cancer care are further compounded
in times of crisis, like the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“The African region also bears the highest burden of
cervical cancer among WHO regions, and so the World Health Assembly’s adoption
in 2020 of the Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer
as a public health problem was of key relevance to African countries.
“As part of the first wave countries implementing this
strategy, Eswatini, Guinea, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia are scaling-up
comprehensive cervical cancer programmes. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
introduction needs to increase to prevent cervical cancer,” he said.
Moeti said far 17 African countries have introduced HPV
vaccination nationwide, including Rwanda and Zimbabwe, which are both achieving
high national HPV vaccine coverage with the commitment of their governments and
partners.
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