Detecting for any signs of cancer remains a challenge for authorities in raising awareness about the disease.
Minister for Health, Dr Neil Sharma says the concept of having an annual check-up for cancer is a key challenge in addressing the illness. He said that conditions such as obesity, communicable, non-communicable-diseases (NCDs) and cancer are all interlinked.
“Globally, 70 per cent of cancers are diagnosed late, we are no different in Fiji and the concept of an annual check-up or screening has not taken off yet,” he said.
Dr Sharma said that programmes implemented by Government as well as the Fiji Cancer Society are designed to raise awareness on all forms of cancers and ensure that care was provided to those who suffer from it.
Speaking at the launch of the “Bushells Fiji Biggest Tea Morning Tea Cancer Society”, an annual event in the society’s calendar, Dr Sharma said the improved national database and reporting strategies had demonstrated the “increased incidence and overall prevalence in the number of all cases”.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the incidence of cancer in Fiji is about 129 per 100,000 persons and this is the reason why the Ministry of Health continues to address the growing burden of this disease in the nation.
He told participants that the highest number of deaths is caused by cervical cancer followed closely by breast cancer in women. He highlighted that liver, gut, prostrate and testicular cancers were becoming prevalent for men. Dr Sharma said that blood cancers remain a major issue for children in the country.
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