WHO calls for urgent address of gaps in cancer care
The World Health Organization on the occasion of World Cancer Day called on countries in the South-East Asia Region to prioritise steps to minimise risk, detect and diagnose cancer early and care for those who have the disease.
Notably, the theme of this year's World Cancer Day is 'Close the Care Gap'.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted delivery of cancer care services including palliative care. This has further exposed the vulnerabilities of people living with cancers and increased the risk of severe disease and death. We need to urgently address these gaps in cancer care," Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region explained.
With approximately 10 million deaths reported in 2020, cancer is one of the top causes of mortality worldwide. In the same year, the WHO South-East Asia Region reported an estimated 2.2 million new cancer cases and 1.4 million cancer-related deaths, accounting for more than one out of every ten fatalities in the region.
Also Read | Travel groups ask Joe Biden to end Covid-19 testing for vaccinated US-bound passengers
Lung cancer accounted for 10.6% of cancer deaths, followed by breast cancer 9.4%, cervical cancer 8%, liver 6.6 percent, and lip and oral cavity cancer 6.4 percent. Oral and lung cancers, the two most frequent cancers among men in the Region, are linked to tobacco consumption, betel nut chewing, and smoking, and thus preventable.
Since 2014, preventing and treating non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, has been a top concern for the Region. Countries have been working together to improve critical NCD services.
Hepatitis B vaccination, cervical cancer screening, HPV vaccination, promoting physical activity and healthy diets, taxing tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks and controlling tobacco - the leading cause of oral cancer and lung cancers, as well as premature death - are all cancer prevention measures.
Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in the WHO South-East Asia Region in terms of the number of cases. The World Health Assembly issued a resolution in August 2020 pushing for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health issue.
According to the strategy proposed on World Cancer Day, countries should aim for an incidence of fewer than 4 cases per 100 000 women. Cervical cancer screening programmes are available in nine of the Region's total eleven member nations. To prevent cervical cancer, a few countries have implemented HPV vaccines for adolescent girls.
"We need to step up our efforts to save lives and improve the quality of life of cancer patients," Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh added.
Also Read | Punjab reports 1,514 fresh Covid cases, positivity rate at 4.37%
Improving access to primary health care and referral networks for early identification and treatment is one of the most efficient strategies for combating NCDs like cancer.
The Colombo Declaration was adopted in 2016 by countries in the Region to enhance health systems and accelerate the delivery of NCD services at the primary care level.
Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) released new tools to assist countries in developing effective childhood cancer programmes, to reach a 60% survival rate for children with cancer by 2030, reduce suffering, and save an additional one million lives.
Every year, an estimated 400 000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer.
The theme of this year's World Cancer Day - 'Close the Care Gap,' is relevant given how the pandemic has worsened disparities, making it more difficult for many to adopt healthy behaviours or access preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services.
-PTC News
