World Cancer Day 2018 was observed on Sunday. The Public Health Ministry partnered with several NGOs to host a ‘Teal Walk’, which was also held in commemoration of the conclusion of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
In the Caribbean and South America, there are 96,000 women who die every year from breast cancer and 36,000 who die of cervical cancer. According to officials the Cancer Institute of Guyana, because of these high numbers, a myriad of programmes has been adapted and are being implemented in partnership with regional and international organisations, the main purpose of which is to eliminate cervical cancer by 2025.
Recent statistics reveal that Afro- Guyanese are mostly affected by cancer in terms of absolute numbers, accounting for 44.4 percent of all cases. This was followed by Indo-Guyanese, who accounted for 37.5 percent; and mixed group accounting for 7.8 percent of cases.
Based on data collection published by the Ministry of Public Health in ‘A profile for Cancer in Guyana’ from 2003-2012, Cervical Cancer accounts for 22.2 percent of deaths among females. Guyana recorded 6,518 new cases of cancer for the period 2003-2012, of these, 2561 (39.9 percent) were males. It was also revealed that prostate cancer accounts for 1/3 deaths in men.
According to PAHO/WHO, in 2012, cancer accounted for 1.3 million deaths, 47% of which occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The number of cancer deaths in the Americas is projected to increase from 1.3 million to 2.1 million between 2012 and 2030.
When the Public Health Ministry released a Cancer Surveillance Report in 2015, which highlighted the recorded state of cancer over the period 2003-2012, it was revealed that in excess of 6,000 individuals were diagnosed with cancer.
It was reported then that while on a global scale lung cancer was deemed the leading cause of cancer deaths, breast cancer was responsible for the highest number of cancer-related fatalities in Guyana. Cervical cancer has reportedly since taken the lead.
The Cancer Surveillance Report also revealed that there were 1,090 cases of breast cancer over the period under consideration in the report. Following the prevalence of breast cancer was cancer of the cervix, which accounts for 1,014 cases; prostate (865 cases); colo-rectal (440 cases); uterus (325 cases); stomach (240 cases); lung (233 cases); liver (219 cases); ovary (212 cases) and lymphoma (136 cases).
Data out of the Cancer Registry, drawn from both public and private medical institutions, suggest that since access to treatment has been near non-existent, more than half of those inflicted with the disease died.
There have been many successes as a result of partnerships with other regional Cancer Organisations; in addition, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Public Health Ministry also have several successful progammes underway. These initiatives ensure that Guyanese are screened and that they have access to the necessary treatment, many times at subsidised costs.
The Public Health Ministry is finalising a comprehensive cancer prevention and control programme for the country. This will aid in ensuring that common risk factors for cancers, such as tobacco and alcohol use, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets, are addressed.
However, many health care professionals have expressed concern that if these and other efforts to battle the dreaded disease are to be successful, there needs to be more partnerships and collaboration with corporate Guyana. Additional funding is needed to offset the cost of early diagnosis programmes and to provide access to better treatments for those who need them.
This enhanced collaboration and increased support from business will then ensure that a wider percentage of the population can access health care.
In short, programmes need to be funded in order to save more lives.
