Monday, 9 February 2015
A Call to Arms against Cancer
The world cancer day,
February 4th 2015, is a great opportunity for the entire globe to
shine a spotlight on the tremendous challenge that cancer poses to the health
of the world. The WHO reported over 14 million new cancer cases globally in
2012. The number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next 2
decades. Cancer is responsible for about
13% of all deaths worldwide. Low to middle income countries (LMICs) like,
Nigeria, bear a disproportionate burden (65%) of these deaths because they are
less prepared to combat the disease. Globally, cancer causes more deaths than,
HIV, TB, and malaria combined! Nevertheless, in Africa, the funding to fight
these infectious diseases, far out strips the funding to combat cancer. Nigeria
and other African countries face an impending cancer epidemic and must rise to
the occasion now. Policy-makers, health care professionals and
citizen-advocates must unite in this cause.
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