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The world has battled many diseases over the past century and there is worldwide concern over the comeback of diseases such as measles even in the developed world.
This is a worrying development. However, that concern should spur authorities into action aimed at eradicating some of the diseases. The month of October is dedicated to raising awareness on cancer, particularly breast cancer. In our previous edition we carried an article on the challenges faced by breast cancer patients and successes recorded in treating the condition.
There are many forms of cancer affecting our people, with some now being linked to lifestyles, food, smoking and HIV, where those with weakened immunity are at the mercy of certain infections that then pre-dispose patients to some of these cancers. About 5 000 cases of cancer are diagnosed yearly in Zimbabwe with about 1 500 deaths annually. The deaths have largely been attributed to late detection.
What is clear then is that awareness of the condition is key since early detection has saved many lives. In women there have efforts to try and spread awareness especially around breast cancer, uterine cancer and cervical cancer that are killing many women. Men are not spared either as they also need to be checked for breast cancer and prostate cancer, a constant worry to men mainly above the age of 40. What is required is for the people to know that they need to be checked yearly or when they show any suspicious symptoms. We have also carried reports recently of some parts of the country that were battling with sexually transmitted infections against a background of inadequate drugs. Untreated STIs can lead to many complications that in future can create room for some form of cancers.
Our call to the public is to take the campaign against cancer very seriously since it is now killing a lot of people and overtaking some conditions that reached pandemic levels a decade ago. Have you been checked for cancer this year? You have to immediately and there is no excuse as many public hospitals are equipped to carry out the necessary checks and give advice or treatment where necessary. We are worried by the poor health seeking behaviour of men mostly. Cancer is not a problem that confronts women only, let us all go out there and get checked. Early detection saves lives. When cancer is discovered after it has advanced in the body, it becomes difficult to manage hence the call for frequent checks to ensure early detection.
Online Reporter