IFP calls for more cancer screening and treatment

THE IFP in KZN has called on the Department of Health to prioritise cancer screening, education and awareness programmes in rural health centres, especially among women in townships, informal settlements and rural areas.

IFP’s spokesperson on Health in the KZN Legislature, NJ Nkwanyana said her party was gravely concerned that cancer has been found to be causing more deaths in South Africa than HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria combined, especially among women.

‘We urge that the department urgently give the cancer scourge the attention it deserves throughout the year, because cancer and breast cancer in particular are not just an October issue.

‘It’s not as if this disease takes a break during the rest of the year. In fact, the statistics show that the disease continues to be deadly, and affects a significant proportion of South Africans every day.

‘As the IFP we want the department to focus on the pre-cancerous phase, which lasts for years and gives people a chance to prevent the disease.

‘If cancer can be identified early on, women then can have an opportunity to undergo early cancer treatment.’

‘She said the sad state of affairs was that women from disadvantaged backgrounds, where information and resources are not easily available, do not get the same exposure and priority when it comes to breast cancer awareness.

‘Consequently, they are not proactive and are unaware of the causes of cancer.

‘Effective communication and screening resources in local health facilities are vital.

‘Once our women and everyone else become informed on what cancer is and how it is likely to kill millions, they will be more willing and equipped to fight it.

‘We are also worried about the lack of free cancer specialists’ services in our rural areas.

‘We call on government to urgently push for an increase in the number of cancer specialists and resources in rural hospitals.

‘It is unacceptable that the cancer situation continues to worsen in this province, with few oncologists working in public hospitals and few cancer machines to treat a population of more than 10-million people,’ she said, adding that patients in the province waited an average of five months to see a cancer specialist and a further eight months for treatment.