Caribbean countries urged to prioritise cancer fight
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has called on all member states to commit to prioritising the cancer fight, addressing the root causes of health inequity and to ensuring that quality health services are accessible to all when, where and how they are needed.
CARPHA issued the call commemorating World Cancer Day 2024, which was observed on February 4. The calls comes just months after a BVI-based oncologist revealed that over 300 people in the territory have been struck by cancer in three years.
The regional health agency said cancer is a critical public health concern and continues to impact lives indiscriminately. In the Caribbean, cancer is the second leading cause of death, accounting for a fifth of all deaths.
According to CARPHA statistics, in 2022, it is estimated that there were over 113,000 new cancer cases and over 65,000 cancer deaths in the Caribbean.
Among new cancer cases, the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the Caribbean in 2022 were cancers of the prostate, breast, colorectum, lung and cervix.
For World Cancer Day 2024, the international community led the ‘Close the Care Gap’ campaign, which highlights the significant inequities that exist around the world in the level of care that people with cancer receive.
Dr Joy St John, Executive Director at CARPHA noted, “this campaign is more relevant than ever, as we continue to focus on raising awareness, encouraging tangible change and ensuring that quality health services are accessible to all, especially here in the Caribbean”.
Caribbean cancer registers
Through CARPHA’s Caribbean Cancer Registry Hub initiative, Caribbean countries are being encouraged to develop population-based cancer registries.
CARPHA said better quality cancer data provides more reliable evidence to support decision making for cancer prevention and control at the national and regional levels.
In the BVI, there have been talks about creating a cancer registry, but to date, this hasn’t been established.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
The whole Cancer fight is the same as the War on Drugs. It looks and sounds good but is there any progress? The reality is that Big Pharma are cashing in big time when it comes to Cancer so the focus will forever be on TREATMENT and not CURE. Further, everything is processed, including medicine when it’s clear that natural means are the way to go when dealing with these ailments. People are being encouraged to go meatless etc. but dig deep and ask yourselves what is really in the traditional veggie burger? What is veggie cheese? Veggie bacon? Veggie chicken? Veggie loaf? Dinner roast? All these things are being touted as meatless options but are they really healthier? People are consuming GMO based foods and we exercies much less so what does that equate to? Uber, Door Dash, Deliveries, all these convenient apps, curbside delivery, all this has made people consume more rubbish while moving less so why are we suprised that chronic illness and Cancer is on the rise? Either we change our lifestyle or we suffer, nothing else will help.
We can start by stop importing all that “for export only” food items.
Simple, super markets should stop importing American food products and importing UK produce where it’s all organic. Or even simple– provide their own produce.
People need to exercise and cut down on red meat and sugars.
God bless you all. Stay safe and fight the battle.
How about the dump/incinerator ? polluting the West End for over twenty years
I wil always and for ever be humbly gracious for the immediate and prompt response we received from Mr. Skelton years ago.
It is that kind of response from those kinds of hearts and mind that we need in our country’s leadership positions when lives, especially children, are threatened.
I again send the HOnorable gentleman a million thanks you, and may God richly blessed you.
Becauseof your rapid response our child is alive today. Gd bless.
We are what we eat….
As is well know , daily doses of :
High Fructose Corn Starch Syrup + Glyphosate coated ingredients + Hormone, Formaldehyde and Antibiotic treated Meats and Poultry are the proven route to Cancer. ( Not to mention the stress of living in a ‘perpetual growth’ capitalist $ociety:-/)
Partner this with a ruthlessly exploitative medical and pharmaceutical industry….
What do you get ? A disempowered population and a strong economy.
https://youtu.be/P7VO-_MJVGU
Everyone should be health conscious , taking charge of their health . Yes cancer is know as the “silent killer” and as such we all should educated ourselves ,