adminThe month of October is dedicated to spreading information and raising awareness on the dangers of breast cancer.A�
Almost every other day is dedicated towards a cause internationally and it is when we pursue such causes beyond just the day that we achieve the desired results over time.
Breast cancer, like many other cancers and non-communicable diseases (NCD) in general, has been decimating populations with some among the health corridors feeling that much more energy had been expended on communicable diseases over the years at the expense of NCDs such as cancer.
While October is the month during which we escalate the message about breast cancer and its dangers, it is critical that we keep the message alive throughout the year and at various fora. Statistics from the World Health Organisation show that 31 percent of deaths in Zimbabwe in 2014 were a result of non-communicable diseases.
Statistics also show that in Zimbabwe, cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and strokes account for nine percent of deaths from NCDs, while 10 percent of deaths were a result of cancer illnesses.
It is quite worrying that these diseases have become silent killers and have slowly overtaken dreaded infectious diseases. This therefore calls for robust action from all stakeholders and being armed with the right information is one of the best weapons that people can ever have.
We join the rest of the country and world in urging our people to go for cancer screening and that they should make regular visits to health centres for such check-ups. Also, it is important to point out that breast cancer affects both men and women, though it is more common in women.
This means that couples should go for check-ups together since early detection ensures better chances of overcoming the disease. We are also heartened by other preventive interventions that have been occasioned by the realisation that there was a link between HIV and the growth in the numbers of cancer patients.A�A� We hear that cervical cancer, Kaposi Sarcoma, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and eye cancer are closely linked to HIV.
It is against this background that efforts are under way to stop the spread of such cancers which come from contact, with the use of vaccines. There are efforts to tackle the Human Papiloma Virus.
Health experts were last year reported to be piloting the HPV vaccine on nine to 13-year-olds in Beitbridge and Seke districts.A� This, hopefully would reduce the burden of cervical cancer in future.
However, in the meantime for breast cancer, the best form of intervention remains early detection that can only come about from regular checks. Let us encourage one another to go for checking this month; it could save our lives. .
Online Reporter