[Image: National Research Foundation]
Even though cancer is a non-communicable disease (chronic illnesses that are not contagious), more women in South Africa are succumbing to breast cancer and cervical cancer than they are succumbing to HIV.
Noelene Kotschan, chief executive and founder of PinkDrive, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) focusing on cancer awareness and early detection to save lives, revealed this alarming fact during the World Cancer Day national event held at the Slovoville Clinic and Recreation Centre, in Soweto on Tuesday.
The World Health Organisation estimated 20 million new cancer cases in 2022, with 9.7 million deaths globally. In South Africa, the top five cancers are breast cancer at 23%, cervical cancer at 16%, prostate cancer at 22%, colorectal cancer at 4.5% in women and 6% in men, and lung at 4% in men, according to the National Cancer Registry’s 2020 report.
There are multiple factors that keep cancer cases rising, including an ageing population, lifestyle changes, and environmental exposures.
Under the theme ‘United by Unique’, the PinkDrive campaign focuses on a people-centred approach to cancer care, attempting to get South Africans treated early so that they can be cured and not succumb to the disease. For this to work, Kotschan said the state needs to invest in the NGOs on the ground.
“We are not getting any funding from the Department of Health. Yet, what we are doing is what the government of the day should be doing for its citizens. By taking health screening — regardless of what that screening is — to where the people live is what’s going to make the difference and help alleviate the backlogs at the secondary or tertiary hospitals.
“And that is what the government wants to do from a National Health Insurance (NHI) perspective, but if they can’t get this right — how do they want to deliver on the NHI?”
Kotschan explains that PinkDrive has basically been doing the NHI from inception.
“So, we are totally dependent on other international governments, other philanthropic organisations, corporate South Africa, and individuals in South Africa to help fund us so that we can deliver the services that the government should actually be delivering,” Kotschan said.
Deputy Minister of the Department of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, said that while the department and other organisations like PinkDrive have screening programmes that are available at their facilities for breast, cervical, lung and prostate cancers, South Africa continues to face significant challenges in the fight against cancer.
“Long travel distances to hospitals, inadequate infrastructure, and long queues at our health facilities caused by our underfunded health system further delay timely diagnoses and interventions. Late presentation at facilities, causing late-stage diagnosis, is another challenge and remains a significant issue in our country. By the time these patients are diagnosed, the cancer is often at an advanced stage, making treatment more difficult and thus reducing chances of survival,” Phaahla said.
The National Department of Health funds provinces including Gauteng by means of a conditional grant, the National Tertiary Services Grant, to improve service delivery for all tertiary healthcare services, but Phaahla reckons more needs to be done to expand access to healthcare services, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
“The good news is that many cancers can be prevented through lifestyle changes. Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and staying physically active can significantly lower our risk of getting cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight is equally important, as obesity is linked to several types of cancer,” he said.
Easier done when you have money to afford fresh food and a job that doesn’t make you want to chain smoke or drink yourself to sleep at night.
[Source: IOL]
