Chronic diseases on top world health challenges
‘Your Health First’ campaign promotes awareness of colon cancer
National Campaign for Cancer Awareness (CAN) launched its “Your Health First” campaign for colon cancer awareness on Sunday. Chronic diseases come on top of health challenges at the global level due to their health, social, and economic burdens on individuals, families, and societies, an official of the Ministry of Health said.
Chairman of the Board Dr Khalid Al-Saleh emphasized the necessity to adopt a lifestyle that includes balanced nutrition that is rich in fruits and vegetables in addition to maintaining physical fitness during Ramadan. He said it is highly important to refrain from all types of smoking. It reduces immunity and makes the body to be prone to diseases including tumors. He said awareness is the cornerstone in the prevention as well as early detection of cancers.
These diseases cause two-thirds of mortalities across the world, said Dr. Humoud Al-Zu’bi, Director of the Department of Prevention and Response to Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, at the inauguration of the campaign “Your Health First” for promoting awareness of colon cancer, launched by the Cancer Aware Nation (CAN).
Cancer cases come second after those of the heart and blood vessels’ illnesses; thus, there must be a comprehensive strategy and social partnerships to combat these diseases, he said. He has expressed his belief that the number of colon cancer cases can be alleviated with a national strategy by 30 percent by 2030. Meanwhile, CAN chairperson Dr. Khalid Al-Saleh said the campaign aims at persuading people to change their lifestyles with food intakes rich in fruits and vegetables.
Awareness is the cornerstone for protection and early detection of cancerous diseases, he said, adding that CAN had succeeded in cutting misconceptions about cancer, wrongly viewed as a disease that leads to death for sure, from 93 percent to 52 percent at the local level. CAN has also raised the proportion of people who believe in the necessity of early examinations from 50 percent to 70 percent. Number of colon and colorectal cancer cases reached 283 in 2020, according to records of Kuwait Cancer Control Center, Dr. Al-Saleh said.