United Nations Radio

PRES: Five million deaths a year in Asia can be linked to cancer. This growing health problem brought together some of the world's leading cancer control specialists to the IAEA, UN agency for nuclear cooperation headquarters in Vienna. Their aim was to discuss strategies for fighting cancer in the Asia and Pacific region. UN Radio's Jocelyne Sambira has the story.

Cancer control experts meet at IAEA headquarters

NARR: Participants from over 19 Asian countries came to discuss the rise in cancer in their region, and to swap success stories and tips on how to fight the disease. India tops the charts with 800,000 new cancer cases a year. Although the country has a ten year advance with its cancer management program, it still struggles with the root causes, says radiation oncologist Ketayun Dinshaw.

DINSHAW: We have problems of usage of tobacco which is very difficult to control, we have an environment which is polluted, industry wise and otherwise and that adds to the issues of a large cancer burden. And of course we have a population where nearly 80% live in rural areas, where there is absolutely no sensitivity to the signs and symptoms of cancer.

NARR: With 200,000 new cases a year, Bangladesh, is following closely India's lead with cervical and breast cancer amongst the top ten cancers detected. However, getting women to go for early screening is a major hurdle says Shanhana Afroz of the Nuclear Medicine Centre in Dhaka.

AFROZ: For breast screening and cervical cancer screening they become a little bit shy to go to the male doctors that is another challenge for us as well.

NARR: In the Asian countries, the number of infectious diseases is on the decline, but non communicable diseases like cancer are on the rise. Countries like Sri Lanka have a government supported free health care system but, as Neelamani Paranagama, Director of the National Cancer Control Programme points out, they still have much to do to erase stigma.

PARANAGAMA: They are scared to come to the centers. They have the access but still for them to make use of it. We are doing the DVDs, and we are trying to do it through the primary health care system. So we need to reach the patient at the earliest possible stages.

NARR: China on the other hand, has limited resources in health care and is betting its chances on a more efficient prevention programme, according to Jie Ma of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing.

MA: The government was focused on cancer treatment decades ago but recently the government realized that cancer prevention is much more important than treatment right now.

NARR: This exchange forum gave cancer specialists in the region a space to interact, compare notes and generate new ideas to incorporate in their existing health plans. With the ongoing financial and technical support of the United Nations, they are confident of being a step closer to a solution. Reporting for UN Radio, I am Jocelyne Sambira.

(duration: 2'32")