Let’s be proactive on cancer
EDITOR — Cancer cases have continued to escalate in the country with cervical cancer being the most daring.
The problem is that a lot of people go for screening late when the cancer has already reached stages three and four.
It appears there is an information gap on issues to do with cancer hence a cancer awareness campaign has to be conducted again.
A repeat of the awareness campaign conducted in January this year to educate people on the importance of going for cancer screening at an early stage is not a bad idea at all.
People in rural areas have been reported to have been dying in their households because of lack of information as well as unaffordable costs.
Village health workers can help in disseminating information to people in rural communities, who cannot get the information on social media like those residing in urban areas.
Also, there is need to encourage self examination in the case of breast cancer if abnormal lumps develop.
In addition, Government needs to see to it that cancer services are affordable and decentralised such that ordinary citizens easily access them.
Recently cancer was declared more dangerous than HIV, therefore, people need to be alert.
We can have universities researching on the causes of cancer and cancer specialists helping with diet guides that will assist in restraining the increase of cancer cases.
People can also fight against cancer by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding exposure to known cancer-causing substances, and taking medicines or vaccines that can prevent cancer from developing. Tafadzwa Muchineripi, Harare.