Cancer could kill a million Africans annually by 2030 – WHO

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, has said cancer deaths could reach nearly a million deaths a year by 2030 if urgent and bold interventions are not made.

According to her, an estimated 1.1 million new cancer cases occur in Africa each year, with about 700,000 deaths.

She said so in a message commemorating World Cancer Day 2023.

The PUNCH reports that World Cancer Day is an international day celebrated annually on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and encourage its prevention, detection and treatment. The theme for 2023 is “Close the care Gap: Uniting our voices and doing action.”

Dr Moeti said: “The numbers are grim. About 1.1 million new cancer cases occur in Africa every year, with about 700,000 deaths. Data estimates show a significant increase in cancer mortality to nearly one million deaths per year by 2030, without urgent and bold interventions.

“We should not forget that the most common cancers in adults are breast (16.5 percent), cervical cancer (13.1 percent), prostate cancer (9.4 percent), colorectal cancer (6 percent), and liver cancer (4.6 percent). ) are. to nearly half of new cancer cases. With significant data challenges, the incidence of childhood cancer in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to be 56.3 per million population.

“Current projections show that Africa will account for nearly 50 percent of the global childhood cancer burden by 2050, forcing rapid efforts to address this concern, as was done for the young girl from Rwanda.”

However, she said 12 countries in the region had valid National Cancer Control Plans and WHO was supporting 11 additional countries in developing or updating their National Cancer Control Plans aligned with global cancer control initiatives coupled with the presence of government-level governance structures to implement cancer plans.

She also said that the organization had established three collaborative centers with the International Agency for Research on Cancer in cancer registries in Ivory Coast, Kenya and South Africa to facilitate capacity building for local staff and improve data quality for effective decision-making.

“Countries such as Ghana, Senegal, Zambia and Senegal have developed national treatment guidelines for childhood cancer. Twenty-five countries have developed and are using cancer guidelines. Political will remains important to improve the cancer landscape. The inclusion of childhood cancer medicines in the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana and Zambia is a good example. Such a strategic action will significantly contribute to increasing the survival rates of children with cancer in these countries.

“We are working with Childhood Cancer International to develop and implement guidelines for mental health and psychosocial support for children in Burkina Faso. It is gratifying to note the steady increase in national introduction of HPV vaccination with 51 percent of countries in the region, although coverage remains worrying at 21 percent.

“Currently, 16 countries have introduced high performance based screening tests in line with WHO recommendations and plan to scale up cervical cancer screening. The introduction of gynecologic oncology grants for improved access to cervical cancer treatment services in Malawi and Zambia is commendable and innovative.”

She noted that despite the results achieved, there are challenges such as the low availability of population-based cancer registries; limited health promotion; insufficient access to first-line prevention and early detection services; the scarcity of diagnostic facilities that increase delays in diagnosis and treatment.

“The provision of palliative care is rare in Africa, despite the great need for it. Africa has only three percent of the world’s cancer treatment facilities, with radiotherapy available in just 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to very low survival rates.

“By uniting voices and actions, we can tackle cancer on an individual and community level: choosing a healthy lifestyle, getting vaccinated and routinely screened for preventable cancers. Parents have a responsibility to ensure that their eligible daughters receive HPV vaccines.

“I call on governments to develop and update national cancer control plans, provide sustainable funding and invest in cancer registries. I encourage governments to include cancer care in essential benefit packages and national health insurance systems. It is also critical to ensure adequate infrastructure for human resources, screening, diagnosis and treatment. There is also a need to expand the use of digital healthcare and to set up relevant training for cancer workers.

“At last, cancer survivors can speak up as advocates for better cancer services. As individuals with lived experience, they should be involved in the design of cancer services at all levels of health care.

“Let’s unite against cancer and take action to enable universal health for cancer prevention, treatment and care in Africa,” she said.