GRACARO joins the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the organizer of World Cancer Day and the rest of the world to raise awareness and educating people about cancer detection, treatment and prevention.
Celebrated every 4th February , this year has as theme Close the care gap as a reminder for us all to unite our voices and take action.
Closing the care gap is essential to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background and circumstance has access to the cancer care they need. This would go a long way to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.
Symptoms of cancer include unexplained weight loss, fatigue, persistent pain, changes in skin such as yellowing or darkening.
The most common risk factors are tobacco use, low fruit and vegetable intake, harmful use of alcohol and lack of physical activity.
It is ranked the second most frequent cause of death in America after cardiovascular diseases. An estimated 4 million people were newly diagnosed and 1.4 million people died from the disease in 2020 in America. Globally, there was an estimated 20 million new cases of cancer and 10 million deaths from cancer. The cancer burden will increase by approximately 60% over the next two decades to about 30 million new cancer cases by 2040 with the greatest increases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
Cameroon faces a significant burden from cancer, with breast and cervical cancers being the most prevalent and deadly forms. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data for 2020, breast cancer claimed 2,108 women’s lives despite being highly treatable when diagnosed early. Cervical cancer took 1,787 lives in the same year. The government is committed to tackling this challenge, aiming for a 10% reduction in cancer morbidity and mortality by 2024, as outlined in its National Strategic Plan for Cancer Prevention and Control.
World cancer day is a reminder that we are not alone in the fight against cancer. By working together, we can close the care gap and ensure that everyone has a chance to live a long and healthy life.
Together, let’s make sure to invest resources for a cancer free world. We call on leaders to eliminate health inequalities by addressing their root causes, ensuring that everyone has access to quality health services.
Together we can create a future without cancer. The time to act is now.
#CancerAwareness#
#TogetherAgainstCancer#
