Cancer awareness, early detection, diagnosis and treatment to take centre stage in talks between the health department and stakeholders. KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane recently raised concern that she felt the Covid-19 pandemic focus had overshadowed programmes on cancer awareness. Picture: File
DEPUTY Health Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and health experts will today discuss joint interventions and efforts to address the cancer burden in SA.
Dhlomo said the department together with a panel of cancer experts and representatives from pharmaceutical companies would discuss the progress made in addressing the burden of cancer in South Africa, and the innovations to collaboratively craft the next steps.
He said the discussion would be under the theme “Early cancer diagnosis saves lives, cut treatment costs”, and would discuss among other critical issues, strengthening and equipping health services and training health workers so they can conduct accurate and timely diagnostics, while ensuring people living with cancer are able to access safe and effective treatment.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been available to young girls in South Africa since 2014 as part of the standard vaccine programme. According to global guidelines, the HPV vaccination is recommended between the ages of nine and 26 for girls and boys. In South Africa, boys can have the vaccine through a private practitioner.
Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the department recognised that South Africa was not only fighting the Covid-19 battle.
Mohale said the country had other priority diseases including the cancer burden that needed its attention.
He said: “We commit as the department to continue to engage with stakeholders in finding the solutions for the cancer burden. Yes we acknowledge that there was an improvement in initiatives of reducing cancer burden.
“Capacity building of clinicians. Implementing chemotherapy services in all the provinces. Improvement of infrastructure for radiation oncology services at some of the tertiary facilities. We will continue to raise awareness about the preventative measures to reduce the burden of cancer such as HPV vaccination. To date we have immunised over 3 million girls aged between 9-12 years across the country,” said Mohale.
Recently KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane also spoke on the provincial department's concerns that the Covid-19 pandemic had overshadowed and derailed programmes on cancer awareness especially for breast cancer.
Dr Sandile Tshabalala, KZN Health Department head, said between the ages of eight and ten parents needed to utilise the government available HPV vaccination for girls, to curb the spread of the other concerning killer, especially among black women.
The incidence rate of cervical cancer in South Africa is reported to be between 22.8 and 27 per 100 000 women compared to the global average of 15.8. Annually there are some 5 743 new cases reported with 3 027 associated deaths in South Africa. About 99% of cervical cancers are associated with HPV.
Zweli Bashman MD for MSD SA and sub-Saharan Africa said cervical cancer is still one of the most prevalent cancers in South Africa.
Bashman said the company believed that through the roll-out of robust vaccination programmes with the government the country can work towards the elimination of cervical cancer in the future.
“We must also remember there are other HPV related cancers that impact both males and females.
“As we think about our future landscape the critical question we must answer is how can we sustainably broaden access to both males and females in order to save lives. This becomes especially important in societies with a high prevalence of HIV,” said Bashman.
THE MERCURY
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