As part of measures to curb the rising menace of cancer deaths in the country, the Rivers State Government has called on the citizenry for collective and personal action to avert the disease.
The call came as part of activities organised yesterday in Port Harcourt by the authorities in the state Ministry of Health to mark the World Cancer Day tagged, “We Can. I Can”.
The state Commissioner of Health, Dr Theophilus Odagme during Cancer Walk Awareness exercise said personal action is essential if cancer is to be curbed.
He revealed that the world cancer deaths have risen to 8.2 million between 2012 and 2013, while about 14.1 million new cases are being reported yearly.
Odagme also revealed that in Rivers State increase on the rate of deaths from breast, cervical cancers are rising, warning that everyday more than 22,000 people die from the disease while 15 persons die every minute of the malaise world-wide.
In his words, “Cancer is a group of diseases characterised by abnormal growth of cells proliferating in an uncontrolled way. I can involve any tissue of the body.”
Warning on the public to desist from lifestyles that can lead to cancer, the commissioner counselled against excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to radiation and poor dieting.
In a similar vein, Chief Medical Director, Rivers State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Dorathy Okoh, has called on members of the public to report any sign of cancer early to government hospitals.
Okoh, who is also a consultant Oncologist and Hematologist, maintained that early detection of cancer can lead to treatment and cure.
She decried the high level of ignorance amongst the populace over cancer, explaining that the disease is not caused by any spiritual force as many have died due to such belief.
The Chief Medical Director stated that cancer can affect any organ in the body, and called on women to go for screening against breast and cervical cancers, while men above 40 should go for prostate cancer tests.
“One should try early to detect cancer signs”, she said, adding that, “one should be able to know that with you alone you can create an impact to prevent cancer by avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol.”
She further revealed that as part of measures to curb the disease, the Rivers State Government was putting in place serious awareness campaigns, stressing that currently the state has two cancer centres at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and another one at state owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital(BMSH).