Cancer is dreadful but it is treatable.

Skin asthma is an inflammatory skin disorder, which causes blisters resulting in scaly skin, itchy rashes and dry thick patches on the skin.  If untreated, doctors say it quickly turns into skin cancer.

 

It is already worrying to learn that around 45,000 Tanzanians are diagnosed with cancer every year, but only 8,800 receive medical attention despite the fact that with early diagnosis, cancer can be treated effectively.

 

Recent health studies show that Tanzania has the highest reported number of cervical cancer cases in Eastern Africa.  One-tenth of the estimated 72,000 new cases and 56,000 cervical cancer deaths in sub-Saharan African countries reported for the year 2000 occurred in Tanzania. 

 

In 2009, cervical cancer accounted for 35.3 per cent of all cancer patients admitted at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI). 

 

It is also estimated that 80 per cent of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer die within five years of the diagnosis.

 

Officials at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute say that cancer is manifesting itself in younger aged persons in developing countries, with many cases occurring in persons of 40 years of age.

 

Doctors at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute say that out of about 20 cases that come every a month, majority of them are between 29 and 42 years.

 

We must take note that the reason why many die of cancer, is that they wait for too long before seeking medical help. 

 

To stay alive or regain functionality, costly treatments are needed when it is either too late or cancer is in an advanced stage. 

 

There is still a perception that diseases such as cancer and high blood pressure which are non-communicable, are exclusively for the rich. This myth no longer holds water as we are witnessing more and more cases across all income groups.

 

There is also a myth that cancer is not a curable disease and that surgical operations to remove cancerous tissues lead to the spread of the disease to other healthy parts of the body. These allegations have also contributed to a tendency by people hiding their cancer conditions until it gets out of control.

 

Now with the revelation of the skin asthma disease on the rise, it is most urgent that the public be informed.

 

It would go a long way if at least a one month educational campaign against cancer is conducted by medical practitioners, religious leaders and schools under the guidance and support from local government authorities.

 

Parallel to the grassroots efforts, major challenges to the war against cancer must be surmounted. These include lack of funds to buy diagnosis machines. Patients should not wait for a long time to be diagnosed.  

 

Many hospitals in the country lack special scanning machines for detecting cancer. These hospitals must be helped to get such facilities.

 

 However despite facing these challenges and the poor record in cancer management in Tanzania, the country  prides itself as being among a few countries in the world that offer free cancer treatment. 

 SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN