What you need to know:
- The issue: Cancer fight.
- Our view: To hear that only three out of every 10 children affected by cancer access care they need is heartbreaking.
This week, the Ministry of Health reiterated the need for children to be given a fighting chance when it comes to cancer.
Speaking at the graduation of 16 fellows from Makerere University's Paediatric Haematology and Oncology fellowship programme, Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services, said children are prevented from reaching specialised cancer treatment centres, with only 30 percent of affected children accessing such care.
"We have between 1,500 and 3,000 new cases of childhood and adolescent cancers reported annually, but tragically, the survival rates are very low, with only 20 percent to 30 percent, surviving beyond three years," Dr Olaro said.
In Uganda, the survival rate for children is around 50 percent, compared to the global rate of 80 percent. This means parents should give their children a fighting chance.
Cancer treatment can be done in different forms depending on the stages of the disease. This can be through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and supportive care. To hear that only three out of every 10 children affected by cancer accesses the necessary care is heartbreaking. To show that there is hope in giving children a chance to fight, the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), in 2021, declared eight children cancer-free after they successfully underwent treatment.
The children, aged 18 and below, were given a clean bill of health following five years of treatment. At the time, UCI attributed the success to having a specialist surgeon for children.
In the past, UCI grappled with a large number of children in need of treatment as they relied on Mulago National Referral Hospital for surgeries. But the in-house surgeon and availability of equipment such as a radiotherapy machine, greatly improved care for the children, the head of Paediatric Oncology Services at the Institute said at the time.
The 2021 success story tells us that with the right investment, both in equipment and personnel, we can handle most of these treatments at home without necessarily having to refer patients abroad. That more highly skilled fellows graduated from Makerere University this week is good news. And that the government is establishing a new regional cancer centre in Arua, in addition to the one already operational in Gulu, is even better news.
As the government moves towards increasing cancer centres, equipment and personnel, parents should play their part in ensuring children get the care they need. And this starts with early treatment. Chances of recovery are increased if the cancer is detected early and treatment is started immediately. Always seek medical treatment if you feel any abnormal growth and swelling in any part of your body, or as a parent, you notice that in the children under your care.
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