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Senior Health Reporter
Registrar General Mr Tobaiwa Mudede’s claims that some birth control measures cause different types of cancers in women are not backed by scientific facts, since research linking the use of contraceptives to cancer has not been carried out in Zimbabwe, the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ) has said.
The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe’s information officer, Mrs Priscilla Mangwiro, said current evidence showed that the benefits of using contraceptives far outweighed the risks.
“Studies elsewhere could have shown that prolonged use of some contraceptives for more than eight years slightly increase chances of women developing reproductive cancers, but no such studies were done in our country,” said Mrs Mangwiro.
She said while the area of contraceptives was shrouded with a lot of controversy, the benefits of using them were far more than the associated risks.
Mr Mudede and his colleague Mr Richard Hondo in February, launched their book titled Genetically Modified Organisms and population control drugs in developing countries, aimed at discouraging women from using contraceptives and consumption of GMOs, by linking them to a number of health-related effects, including cervical and uterine cancers.
Government, through the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, has also dismissed Mudede’s claims saying they were not backed by any scientific evidence.
However, Mr Mudede insisted birth control drugs were introduced to control the black minority by Westerners.
“The grand plan seems to be the control of the world’s black population. The unfortunate thing is that these contraceptive drugs have ruinous, often fatal side effects, and are targeted at black women,” said Mr Mudede in his book.
According to the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe, the majority of cancers in developing countries are infection-related, with 60 percent of them associated with HIV and Aids, with the other causes attributable to unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles.
Mrs Mangwiro said in order to prevent cancers, Zimbabweans should exercise regularly, eat balanced diets and avoid tobacco use.
“About 50 percent of cancers could be prevented and another 30 percent of cancer deaths could be avoided by mainly not using tobacco, having a healthy diet and being physically active, moderating the intake of alcohol and maintaining a healthy weight,” she said.
The National Aids Council has also incorporated cancer awareness in its programmes considering that 60 percent of cancers were HIV-related.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter