Dr. Amadou Lamin Samateh, the Minister of Health, has brought attention to the rising incidence of liver, breast, and cervical cancer in developing countries, such as the Gambia.
Speaking about the alarming pattern, Dr. Samateh said, “Cancer has been a big public health challenge for many countries.” In many emerging nations, we have observed an increase in instances. This causes the illness to be double-boarded. Infections of all kinds and communicable diseases were the first problems facing developing nations. However, the trend is shifting in that non-communicable diseases are becoming more prevalent.
This does not imply that infectious diseases have vanished. They still exist, and the double-boarding of both communicable and non-communicable diseases has left us devastated. In many of our developing nations, there has been an increase in cancer cases. The Gambia is not abandoned, according to Dr. Samateh.
Dr. Samateh underlined the cooperative effort between the National Cancer Control Programme, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and other partners in addressing cancer in the Gambia while speaking at the validation event for the draft Integrated Mission for Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (IMPACT) Report and the National Cancer Control Strategy.
Experts from a number of nations were invited to participate in the validation process, including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.
Dr. Samateh emphasised that the frequency of hepatitis B increases the risk of liver cancer, which is why malignancies of the cervical, breast, and liver are becoming more common in Gambian women. Interestingly, incidences of breast cancer are frequently found at advanced stages.
As the most frequent disease among women, cervical cancer has been shown to be on the rise. Both breast cancer and liver cancer are increasing in the female population. It is also well known that there is a high self-prevalence of hepatitis B in the Gambia, which predisposes individuals to the development of liver cancer. As the second most prevalent cancer in women and really the second most common cancer overall in the nation in both genders, liver cancer has been the most common cancer among women. Liver cancer is a serious matter, according to Dr. Samateh.
Dr. Samateh acknowledged President Barrow’s order to address the incidence of cancer and described the steps taken, such as creating a distinct National Cancer Control Programme from the Non-Communicable Disease Unit.
Separating the cancer unit from the non-communicable disorders unit was the first step in the process. In actuality, cancer-related actions are really basic in this nation. because cancer care was not the main emphasis of the non-communicable diseases unit. Other non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension received the majority of attention, along with tobacco control, which is an area in which Gambia is leading the way. However, that implies that cancer care was marginalised. He stated
Dr. Samateh, who expressed faith in the nation’s youthful medical experts, reaffirmed the government’s three-pronged approach: increasing access to healthcare, modernising infrastructure, and improving human resources.
A few years ago, the cancer control programme was established. However, as you can all attest, it was not an error, and we are glad that the previous speakers highlighted this as one of the most significant turning points in the nation’s fight against cancer. We salute the team; their performance is a wonderful example of the promise that this nation has for its youthful, vibrant, patriotic, and hardworking citizens.
Three strategies are being employed by the government to address healthcare challenges in this nation. In order to give individuals access to health care services, there are two main goals: improving access and health infrastructure through renovations and new construction. Second, to guarantee the availability of high-quality materials and equipment that are pertinent.
Thirdly, to develop human capacity—that is, the ability of those in charge to make sure that the citizens of this nation receive the treatment they merit. Here is just one example of the very bold initiatives we are taking. Because the Gambia is a low-income nation, health care is not inexpensive. We are not fully capable of handling illnesses like cancer in particular. Both local and international cooperation are crucial, according to Dr. Samateh.
The Gambia’s strategy plan for cancer control and prevention adopts a multifaceted approach that includes palliative care, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.