Awareness programs to mark World Cancer Day

by Carol Aloysius

The Health Ministry in keeping with its policy of preventing non communicable diseases, an initiative taken by President Maithripala Sirisena in 2013, will launch several awareness programs on February 4, World Cancer Control Day.

Consultant Community Physician, National Cancer Control Program (NCCP) Dr. Suraj Perera said the programs will include lectures, discussions and Training of Trainers (TOT) along with programs for Medical Officers of Health, primary heath care medical officers and general practitioners, with the participation of resource persons including consultant surgeons and oncologists, at provincial and district level.

He said an in-service training program for primary health care staff with special focus on prevention, early detection, rehabilitation and palliative care for cancer patients in primary care settings will also be held.

"We will also conduct awareness programs for volunteers, school teachers, staff of government and private organisations on cancer prevention and hold a program for estate workers as well", he told the Sunday Observer.

Health education programs will be held at routine clinics in hospitals, MOH clinics while early detection at Well Woman clinics, breast clinics and mobile clinics will be further strengthened.

Based on the National Registry of Cancer Control (2008), breast cancer is listed as the common female cancer in Sri Lanka followed by uterine, cervical, thyroid gland, oesophagus and ovarian cancer.

In males, the commonest cancers listed are lip, oral, pharynx, trachea, lungs and colon cancer.