Health experts emphasise on early treatment of childhood cancer

TANZANIA: HEALTH experts have blamed delays in treating childhood cancer on poor awareness among members of the communities, long distance to health centres and misbeliefs.

The health experts’ sentiment has come as figures show only 30 per cent of children with cancer are sent to medical centres for treatment while the disease is already at an advanced stage.

The experts stated this during the World Childhood Cancer Day commemorations on 15th February. Statistics indicate that about 4,500 children are diagnosed with childhood cancer, annually, equivalent to 13 children every day.

At least 350 children suffering from cancer do arrive at Bugando Referral Zonal Hospital, annually, affirmed the hospital’s Director General, Dr Fabian Massaga.

“We started offering cancer treatments in 2008, receiving at-least 50 childhood cases annually. The number increased to 350, by last year,” he said.

The increase has been engineered by the presence of both local and foreign medical specialists, availability of cancer drugs and radiation services, as well as regular public education sessions. Similarly, he added,

the presence of modern cancer service building at Bugando plays a vital role and the hostel to accommodate the patients, unlike in the past, when the majority failed to have treatments due to long travels from various parts of the Lake Zone and beyond.