Govt to offer cancer screening, says minister

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The government plans to carry out free screening for cancer before year end, Public Health minister Beth Mugo said August 12, 2011. FILE 

By BENJAMIN MUINDI, bmuindi@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Friday, August 12  2011 at  14:21

IN SUMMARY

Unhealthy lifestyles that increase cancer risk

• Smoking
• Taking alcohol
• Insufficient physical exercise
• Lack of a balanced diet

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The government plans to carry out free screening for cancer before year end, Public Health minister Beth Mugo said Friday.

Some Sh150 million has already been set aside by the Ministries of Public Health and Medical Services to prepare for the countrywide exercise.

“It is possible, even in very economically-constrained environments to be effective in preventing cancer and improving service to patients,” she said during a breakfast meeting in Nairobi for the launch of cancer control plan where screening will be a preliminary step in the war against the disease.

According to officials, cancer ranks third in Kenya as a cause of death after infectious and heart diseases and contributes to seven percent of deaths.

“But the human price is not the only loss caused by cancer,” Ms Mugo said, as the disease was responsible for immense costs to health systems.

"It has also caused insufferable economic and emotional burdens on families and irreplaceable losses for communities."

Head of communicable diseases division William Maina said 28,500 new cases of cancer are diagnosed every year while 22,100 die of the disease.

More than 60 percent of those affected are under the age of 70, as the risk of contracting cancer before the age of 75 years standing at 14 per cent.

“However, 40 per cent of all cancer cases can be prevented by reducing tobacco use, improving diets and physical activity,” Dr Maina advised.

Further, he said, reducing alcohol consumption, immunising against Hepatitis B virus and Human Papiloma virus were other ways of avoiding the disease.

“Many of the cancer related deaths can be avoided if appropriate preventive, early detection, curative and care measures are put in place,” he said.

The leading types of cancer in women are breast, cervical and throat while the most common in men are oesophagus and prostrate cancers.

Cancer is a class of disease in which body cells display uncontrolled growth intruding and destroying adjacent tissues and sometimes spreading to other parts of the body.

Most cancers form a tumour (growth) but, some like Leukaemia, do not.

According to Dr Maina, the strategy recognises the fact that the disease cannot be eradicated but effects can be reduced.

“This is possible if effective measures are put in place to control risk factors, detect causes early and offer good care to those with the disease,” he said.

The strategy launched Friday will stretch up to 2016 and encompasses experience of other countries in combating the effects of the disease.