Uganda will join the rest of the world on 4thFeb to commemorate this year’s World Cancer day. World Cancer Day is an International day marked every year to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.
As part of the activities lined up to mark world cancer day, Minister of State for Primary Health Care Hon. Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu has addressed the public on cancer prevention detection and treatment measures. Dr Joyce Kaducu said in 2018, there were 32,617 new cancer cases and 21,829 cancer deaths in Uganda.
She also added that cancer can be prevented by simple life style. She highlighted that Stopping consumption of tobacco, limiting harmful consumption of alcohol, engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, eating health foods and vaccinate against Hepatitis B and HPV are big prayers to control the deadly cancer.
The Minister also praised the government of Uganda for undertaking a number of interventions to reduce the burden of cancer in Uganda.
“The government increased funding for Uganda cancer institute to UGX 8.4Bn in 2018/19 budget, availability and accessibility of cancer treatment medicines supply is almost 100%, vaccination against cancer of the cervix at each Sub-county and immunization post in Uganda and Current HPV vaccination stands at 70%.”
The government has also enacted the tobacco control act and alcohol control law. Uganda cancer institute now has a state of the art and imaging equipments for cancer diagnosis, Dr. Kaducu added.
It should be remembered that, World cancer day was found by the union of international cancer control (UICC) to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration written in 2008.
As it’s the Healthy Ministry`s Vision to have a health and productive population that contributes to the social and economic development of the state, Health is not a responsibility of the Parliament and the Ministry alone but its every ones responsibility.
