STATEMENT IN HONOUR OF WORLD CANCER DAY BY HON. KWADJO ASANTE, MP SUHUM CONSTITUENCY
Mr speaker!
I'm grateful for the opportunity to address this honourable house during the celebration of World Cancer Day. The World Cancer Day is a day set aside to promote the global awareness of cancer around the world. It has been held on February 4, since its inception in the year 2000 at the first ever world summit against cancer.
The overarching theme for World Cancer Day for the past 3 years has been “I Am and I Will”. This encapsulates the extraordinary spirit and the strength of the people working in the cancer community. The focus for this year 2021 is: “Together, all our actions matter!” And that is why I would like to recount some of the actions being taken here in Ghana to support the cause of this all important agenda.
Rt. Hon. Speaker, I would like to mention that the day is also set aside this year to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable and heroic efforts and responses by cancer nurses, doctors, researchers, volunteers and advocates who continue to do their best to provide life saving care during a global pandemic. These health officials have innovated solutions in their quest to ensure the safety of cancer patients and I would like to say kudos to all of them.
Mr. Speaker, globally, cancer is ranked to be a leading cause of death among non-communicable diseases in the 21st century. In Ghana, estimates suggest that the disease is expected to increase continuously due to lack of awareness and ignorance of the symptoms. In fact, the story is told of one Yaw Boamah whose wife got cervical cancer in 2007. He and his wife had never imagined that cancer would ever come their way. Mr. Boamah’s wife expressed her desire to choose suicide or death over the pain and misery of dealing with the suffering the disease visited upon her. According to Boamah, at some point he had to sell his large cocoa farm, a plot of land and other properties in order to save his wife’s life but even that did not make a difference. The point here is that, Rt. Hon. Speaker, due to lack of knowledge, the family thought she was suffering from a spiritual disease and so delayed going to the hospital. Dr. Ernest Osei Bonsu, an oncologist at the Komfo Anokye teaching hospital relates that oftentimes, 80% of Cervical cancer cases come in at a later date. The victims wait until the pain hits them. At this time, they can not be medically cured. It is too late!
Mr speaker, cancer awareness has become exceedingly important in the 21st century. While there have been numerous advancements in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, Mr speaker, factors that should contribute to the decline of the disease, the number of new cases diagnosed each year has globally continued to increase.
Mr speaker, with your permission, I would like to provide the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics to confirm how scary cancer is and the need to critically be on our guard in adopting measures to curb this situation. Mr speaker, according to WHO report, there were:
8.1 million new cases diagnosed in 1990,
10 million new cases in 2000,
12.4 million in 2008 and
14.1 million in 2012.
The number of annual deaths worldwide from cancer, Mr speaker, has also increased from 5.2 million people in 1990 to 8.2 million people in 2012. Mr. Speaker, 9.6 million people were estimated to have died from cancer in 2018.
According to the World Health Organisation, if the incidence of cancer continues to grow at this rate, Mr speaker, I'm afraid the number of deaths worldwide from cancer will increase to more than 16.3 million by 2040. Mr. Speaker, the World Cancer Report provides clear evidence that healthy lifestyles and public health action by governments and health practitioners could stem this trend, and prevent as many as one third of cancers worldwide. This assertion is buttressed by WHO, that as much as forty percent (40%) of deaths from cancer are preventable!
Hence the question, Mr. Speaker, “How do we ensure that people are educated on the practices and lifestyle changes that are necessary to avoid having this terrible disease?”
Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that if we all embark and partake in the 5 challenges outlined for this year’s celebration, it will go a long way to alleviate the situation to the barest minimum. The 5 challenges, Rt. Hon. Speaker, advocated worldwide are listed below and I have tried to juxtapose these with the action Ghana has taken, is taking, might want to take and or is recommended to take:
I Will Focus On My Health: what measures are we putting in place to ensure that Ghanaians eat well and live thoughtfully? According to National Cancer Institute, 2015, well-known risk factors for cancer are age, diet, alcohol, cancer-causing substances, obesity, chronic inflammation, hormones, immunosuppression, tobacco, infectious agents, radiation & over exposure to sunlight. One action the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Ghana has taken as part of its effort to reduce the incidence of preventable diseases and to promote regenerative health in the country, is the adoption of the concept of "Regenerative Health and Nutrition (RHN)". This practice, Mr. Speaker, when adhered strictly, is said to eliminate many non-communicable diseases including cancer. I would like to commend them and ask that they spread this word so every Tom, Dick and Harry in this country get this message. In 2008, Ghana Demographic and Health Survey conducted, revealed that there is a gradual increase in alcohol consumption and physical inactivity amongst Ghanaians and also, many Ghanaians remove fruits and vegetables from their diet. Mr. Speaker, I am of the view that we as individuals can join this challenge to focus on our health and to live responsibly. A healthy nation is equal to a productive nation.
I Will Support Someone I Know With Cancer: what is the statistics of Ghanaians who have cancer? How are we caring for them and their relatives? We know from the story of Mr. Boamah and many others that when a person has cancer, the whole family suffers with him/her! Pain and symptom management are a critical component of care for cancer patients, and that brings me to a much ignored yet integral part of cancer care; Palliative care.
Mr. Speaker the primary aim of palliative care is to improve the quality of life of patients and their families by identifying and relieving any source of suffering and distress - be it physical, emotional, psychosocial and spiritual at all stages of the disease. Making palliative care accessible to all patients and families living with illnesses such as cancer early in the disease trajectory saves cost, relieves pain, reduces anxiety and is a human right for health which should be defended by all stakeholders, especially governments. Pain is a common source of suffering amongst these patients particularly, and training health professionals to effectively manage pain by ensuring continuous access to pain relieving agents like morphine (which by the way, there is a current national shortage of), should be a national priority. Let us replace the attitude of ‘etua wo nyonko a, etua edua mu’ (which literally means one could care less about the pain of another) with the gift of empathy. Basic palliative care should be a fundamental requirement for all.
I Will Speak Up About Cancer: Let us reinforce policy changes that will bring positive results. Let us all as a nation rally behind individuals and organizations who are taking action in diverse ways to help alleviate/eradicate cancer.
I Will Get Informed About Cancer: Let us educate ourselves about cancer. What is it? How does cancer impact us and others? What are individuals and organizations doing? How can I help? Let us advocate for enhanced radio and television programs, newspaper editorials, and a regular update by the ministry of health on how to live a healthy life.
I Will Help Eliminate Cervical Cancer: what steps are being taken to raise awareness of the global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer here in Ghana? Mr. Speaker, there is a race for the cure held annually to promote the awareness of breast cancer. According to research, Mr. Speaker, women should start Pap smear screening at age 21 and continue the same yearly or at least every 3 years. Dr. Ernest Osei Bonsu, in his interview with Joy Prime News stated categorically that when cancer is detected early, the chances of being cured are also high. Women should be educated on the need for periodic gynecological checks, and I daresay governments can be instrumental in supporting this drive.
In conclusion, I urge all of us to take active part in supporting and leading the campaign to accelerate further progress for a world without cancer by constantly reflecting on what we can do to reduce the impact of cancer on ourselves, our nation and the world as a whole.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I urge us all to remember that there is always hope when we take action and even in the moments of darkness, we have to look for the light!
Thank you, Rt. Hon. Speaker, thank you, everyone for your attention. Be well. Be safe. Be favoured.
#WorldCancerDay #IAmAndIWill #TogetherAllOurActionsMatter!
www.ghanansemonline.com/Samuel Baah(Gosh)
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