The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, has said that an estimated 8.8 million people in the world die from cancer annually, representing almost one-sixth of total deaths.

She added however that cancer death rate is expected to double by 2030.

According to her, the WHO is ready to provide the support and guidance needed to offer quality access to cancer care for all, and ensure that no one is left behind.

“Together we can beat cancer,” she said.

Dr. Moeti made this known in her message to commemorate the World Cancer Day, held annually on February 4. This year’s World Cance Day, with the theme: “We can, I can”, as been described as an opportunity for the global community to unite in combating cancer, believed to be the second leading cause of death in the world.

According to her, 75 percent of cancer deaths in the world are recorded in low- and middle-income countries such as African Member States, partly due to late diagnosis.

She regretted that fewer than 30 percent of low-income countries have access to cancer diagnosis and treatment services.

“In 2015, approximately 35 percent of low-income countries reported the availability of public sector pathology services, relative to over 95 percent of high-income countries.”

She further stated that cancer referral systems are often unavailable, resulting in delayed access to care.

The cancer burden in Africa is projected to rise on account of the ageing population, chronic infections, unhealthy lifestyle choices and risk factors.

About a third of cancer deaths are due to preventable risk factors such as overweight, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use and alcohol consumption.

Often, such choices are influenced by forces beyond the people’s control, such as the availability and more affordable cost of unhealthy foods, and the strategies employed to market tobacco and alcohol, she stressed.

According to her, when detected early, cancers are easier to treat with less expensive, invasive procedures and technologies.

In many African countries, controlling cancer requires the elimination of barriers to quality care, such as ignorance of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

It means introducing and implementing policy changes that guarantee the availability of cost-effective primary interventions such as the introduction of cervical cancer screening into the basic health care package and vaccination against cancer-causing viruses.

Recognising the growing threat of cancer as a public health problem, governments around the world adopted the 2017 World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on cancer. They committed to 22 actions to help reduce the number of cancer deaths annually and improve the lives of those living with cancer.

This year marks the end of the three-year campaign “We can, I can” that urged individuals, societies and governments to take action and reduce the impact of cancer.

The drive sensitised millions, challenged governments and individuals around the world to take action, and provided a platform for cancer patients and their families to share their stories and be heard.

However, notwithstanding the gains made during the “We can, I can” campaign, the battle to curb the impact of cancer is far from over.

The key priorities identified were: promoting health; reducing risks; increasing the availability of anticancer vaccines; and ensuring that early detection, diagnosis, treatment, care and pain relief are more timely and accessible.

The resolution also lays special emphasis on cancer management for children, adolescents and young people, who have their own unique needs.

The message further readsL “The WHO is encouraging individuals to make healthy choices. Everyone can make a difference. We encourage schools, workplaces, community groups and broader society to play a role by promoting physical activity and actively opposing tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets.

“We call on governments to implement policy changes in line with their commitments on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by 25 percent before 2025.

“Some effective strategies that could help to save lives include: high immunization coverage for hepatitis B and the human papillomavirus (HPV) within the target population; cervical cancer screening for eligible women; and early diagnosis.

“We also urge governments to improve access to people-centered cancer care; establish welfare programmes for patients and families, including psychosocial and rehabilitation services; invest in cancer surveillance; and support people undergoing treatment.

“Considering the commitments made by Member States under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to reduce premature deaths from cancers and other non-communicable diseases by one-third before 2030, the scaling up of various cancer control initiatives will contribute to the achievement of SDG-3, ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”

In the spirit of the World Cancer Day (WCD) observed on Sunday, February 4, 2018, the Women Hood Foundation has called on stakeholders to channel cancer awareness campaigns to the rural areas.

Malam Nurudeen Bello, an official of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), said in Kaduna on Saturday at an awareness lecture that poor advocacy had left victims of cancer to die unattended to in rural areas.

“All individuals should be encouraged to play certain roles towards reducing the burden of cancer.

“This event gives us the opportunities to reflect on what we can do, making a pledge and taking action.”

Bello said that cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, with lung, prostate, stomach and liver cancer being the most common types in men.

“Breast, lung, cervix and stomach cancer are the most common among women.

“In Africa, most of the affected patients are the rural dwellers, who are mostly women. Hence, the need to take the campaigns to rural areas,” he said.

He expressed dismay over the poor advocacy on cancer in Nigeria, especially in the rural areas, where the perception is that, a victim of cancer is always on a death row.

According to Bello, reports indicate that, between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of cancer deaths could be prevented by modifying or avoiding key risk factors.

These factors include avoiding tobacco products, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly and addressing infection-related risk factors.

The founder of Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children, Comrade Ramatu Tijjani called on all stakeholders to actively create awareness on cancer in rural communities to reduce the burden.

The 2018 theme for the WCD is: “We can, I can.”

The National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP) on Saturday, February 3, 2018 in Abuja held a road walk to sensitise residents of the federal capital city on the dangers of leprosy.

Leprosy is a disease caused by “germ’’, a bacterium which is airborne that affects the skin.

The sensitisation was organised by NTBLCP under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Health, in partnership with Lion’s Club, and Junior Chambers International (JCI) to commemorate the 2018 World Leprosy Day

The day is often celebrated globally every last Sunday in January and is aimed at raising awareness on the need for early detection and treatment of the disease.

Dr Adebola Lawanson, the National Coordinator of the programme, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the need to raise awareness had become important to ensure early diagnosis.

According to her, leprosy is an age long disease that requires proper awareness creation to enable people detect the signs and symptoms of the disease early enough.

“Early signs and symptoms of leprosy are skin patches, in the sense that the particular place will be lighter than other parts of the body.

“People should always take note, because when there are skin patches and you feel loss of sensation, you should suspect leprosy.

“When you burn your finger and you do not feel sensation, you need to go to the hospital for detection and medical treatment.

“The disease is curable, it is preventable if you detect it early enough, the drugs have been provided for free and the diagnosis is equally free.

“Leprosy is still here, therefore, the need for people to always take proper care of their health and go to the hospital, if they notice anything strange to ensure treatment.

“This is why we are here to sensitise the residents of Abuja on the importance of keeping their environment clean as well as practice of good hygiene to achieve zero leprosy in Nigeria.’’

In a separate interview, Mr Adebayo Peters, Focal person of the road walk, said that the sensitisation was in line with the global fights to reduce cases of leprosy to zero level.

According to Peter, who is also the Assistant Director of NTBLCP, we will achieve this by ensuring that everybody who has the signs and symptoms of leprosy is diagnosed and treated.

“By ensuring that everyone is informed on ways to access treatment, we will reduce the resultant disability that results from leprosy.

“Encouraging people to come out for early detection is one of the major ways to prevent them from disability, which is the only way we will be able to achieve zero disability,’’ Peters said.

Meanwhile, Mr Segun Aina, the Executive Vice President of JCI Nigeria, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), told NAN that they were in partnership with government to promote awareness about dangers of the disease.

According to him, our beat is to enhance the awareness on the scourge of leprosy in the country and stem discrimination against persons with the disease.

Aina said; “what we hope to achieve is to bring down the level of discrimination considerably against people living with leprosy.

“To also let people know that leprosy is curable as against the traditional belief by people who think it is a curse and isolate affected persons.

“It is to let residents of the community know that the disease is an airborne and it is also not hereditary, therefore the need to guard against discrimination.’’

By Fortune Abang

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Integrated community case management (iCCM) is a cost-effective strategy that engages community health workers living in hard-to-reach areas to diagnose and treat three deadly but curable illnesses: malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea.

We have travelled for over two hours from Minna in Nigeria’s rural Niger State. The final 45 minutes are on unpaved roads, and we exchange nods and waves as our jostling four-wheel drive vehicle passes people walking or tending to crops. Coming to a field ringed with trees, we exit the vehicles to walk down a precipitous trail leading to the village of Etsu Gudu.

Naumi, a community educator, offers a hand when someone stumbles on the steep path. She recounts how women have given birth on the mountainside, unable to complete the ascent while in labour. Still other women leave home for up to a month before giving birth, so they can be nearer to a health facility.

This is the reality, amidst the beauty and serenity of the pastoral landscape. There is plentiful water from the river that passes next to the village – enough for puddles that attract mosquitos. There are hills that insulate the community. There are plots of land for growing bananas, palm and kola nuts, food that supports the subsistence needs of the village’s 300 inhabitants. Children find playmates outside the door of almost every single-room house. And a school stands at the edge of the clearing where we find Mohammed El Hadj, the village head.

No children have died in three years

The village elders already have gathered, and women lift themselves from the front steps where they are drying grains and cleaning and weaving palm leaves. We are here to talk about Miriam.

Miriam is the health worker who was chosen by the community because she is well-respected, literate and trusted. With medicines supplied through the WHO Rapid Access Expansion (RAcE) programme, Miriam diagnoses and treats children under the age of 5 for the 3 killer diseases – malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea – that cause 54% of child deaths in Nigeria. These diseases are preventable and curable.

In the 3 years since she was selected and completed training, no children have died in Etsu Gudu, and no children have been referred to the faraway hospital. She says, “as a mother and as a woman, I feel very happy and other married women feel happy. I enjoy the work.”

Extending health care to remote communities

Through WHO, the Government of Canada funded a 5-year grant to bring integrated community case management (iCCM) to remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa countries with a high disease burden. Nigeria, with neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo, accounts for about 40% of malaria cases and deaths worldwide.

Some key elements of effective iCCM implementation are recruitment of educated workers who live within remote communities, training and regular supervision, sustained supply of quality medicines, and community support and engagement. In Etsu Gudu, the community is saving up to buy a motorcycle that will reduce the amount of time needed to pick up the medicines each month.

Ministry leads multi-level partnership

“The programme is unique because it involves both the community and the health system,” says Dr Abosede R Adeniran, the Director of Family Health within the Nigeria Ministry of Health. “In Niger and Abia States, we now have local evidence that this is the way to go as it relates to addressing the unacceptably high under 5 mortality rate in Nigeria.”

Between 2013 and 2017, RAcE in Nigeria worked with local government and partners in Abia and Niger States to deliver activities, including recruiting and training community health workers and supporting the Ministry of Health to implement iCCM. When RAcE was implemented in these pilot states in 2013, there were 128 child deaths per 1,000 live births.

An external evaluation conducted in 2017 provides evidence that RAcE contributed to reducing child deaths in Niger and Abia states, and the Ministry of Health plans to extend iCCM to other states as part of its strategy to provide health coverage.

Equity-based programme

In areas like Etsu Gudu, the pleasures of rural life and close-knit communal living are balanced by subsistence-level incomes and limited, difficult access to health facilities. Arranging for a single sick child visit could mean missing one or more days of work, as well as costing up to one third of the family’s monthly income.

“Since iCCM came to the community, all children are safe,” says Etsu Gudu village chief, Mohammed El Hadj, offering the RAcE support team kola nuts, bananas and woven palm fans. “He who brings the kola nut, brings life,” he continues, referencing the Nigerian tradition of welcoming visitors and offering respect. “This iCCM has brought life.”