BUJUMBURA February 7th (ABP) – The Ministry of Public Health and the fight against AIDS calls on all key actors in the field of health, to combine their forces for community awareness in the early detection of cancer, according to a press release issued on the eve of the celebration of World Cancer Day.
Through that press release, it was specified that World Cancer Day, celebrated this year under the theme “Unite our voices and act”, is an annual event launched by the International Cancer-Free Union (UICC) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), which invites citizens, organizations and governmental institutions around the world to unite their efforts to combat that pathology.
For this year, the celebration of that day is coupled with the African Day of Healthy Lifestyles, which is celebrated on the last Friday of February each year, according to the ministry in charge of health.
“Alone, we go faster; together, we go further”, they continued to say through that press release, while recognizing the ability of everyone to make a difference, whether small or big, and that together we can really progress in reducing the global impact of cancer. Thus, according to data provided by Globocan 2020, there were an estimated 7,929 new cases of cancer in Burundi, of which 19.9% represented cervical cancer, 10.1% breast cancer, 5.2% cancers esophageal and 49.2% for other types of cancer.
At present, the Ministry of Public Health and the fight against AIDS is working tirelessly to set up a national cancer reference center. “The step already taken is satisfactory”, they reassured, before emphasizing that, in the same direction of improving the health of its population, the government of Burundi has just adopted the law on the medical use of ionizing rays. It is worth noting that World Cancer Day is celebrated on February 4 each year. Burundi will celebrate that day on February 15, 2023, in Muha commune of Bujumbura City Council.