“Cancer in Iraq”: Increasing cases without sufficient requirements for early detection

POSTED ON[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] BY [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

[size=52]“Cancer in Iraq”: Increasing cases without sufficient requirements for early detection[/size]

[size=45]The Human Rights Commission in Iraq explained the reasons for the increase in the rate of cancer infections, stating, “There are major challenges such as the delay in completing hospitals, the lack of fair distribution of doctors and medical equipment, and the delay in providing medicines.”[/size]
[size=45]“Iraq witnessed a significant increase in population after 2003, which put enormous pressure on the health infrastructure,” explains Sarmed Al-Badri, a member of the Human Rights Commission. “The state did not keep pace with this increase by providing the minimum level of basic health care, which includes (primary health care, basic food, sanitation, clean water, and basic medicines).”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "Over the past five decades, Iraq has suffered from successive wars and the use of banned weapons by the defunct regime, Iranian forces, and international coalition forces in the wars of 1980, 1991, and 2003. The international economic blockade also had a major impact on the health situation in the country."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Badri explains that “one of the most prominent health risks in Iraq is the pollution of rivers with untreated sewage water. Medical waste from hospitals and medical centers also poses a major risk to public health, and emissions from factories and cars increase air pollution, leading to higher rates of cancer.”[/size]
[size=45]He added: “Villages and rural areas suffer from a severe shortage of health facilities, especially cancer treatment centers, as patients are forced to travel to the capital to undergo examinations and receive chemotherapy. The number of people suffering from cancer has increased as a result of wars and the use of chemical weapons, in addition to pollution caused by government and private institutions that do not abide by the Environmental Protection Law.”[/size]
[size=45]“Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer among women in Iraq, with an incidence rate of about 22 cases per 100,000 females annually. It is estimated that 70% of cases are discovered in late stages, which increases mortality rates,” he said, adding that “the mortality rate from breast cancer ranges between 70-85% compared to other types of tumors, and these deaths are attributed to delays in detecting the disease and failure to adhere to treatment.”[/size]
[size=45]The member of the Human Rights Commission confirms that “there are major challenges such as the delay in completing hospitals, the lack of fair distribution of doctors and medical equipment, the delay in providing medicines, and the achievement of security stability.”[/size]
[size=45]For her part, civil activist Mina Tahrir says, “The number of cancer patients, according to the latest statistics, has reached (35) thousand patients, all of whom need radiation sessions or chemotherapy.”[/size]
[size=45]She added, “Patients suffer from the problem of receiving radiation sessions because they range between 15 and 30 sessions, and in the Medical City there are only two devices, and booking them requires about three months,” noting that “when one of the devices breaks down, the only way is through private hospitals, where radiation sessions often cost between $140 and $250.”[/size]
[size=45]Regarding cancer patients’ devices, the civil activist explains, “It is difficult for the patient to collect the examination fee, in addition to the fact that they are not available in government hospitals. The PET Scan device was recently introduced in Al Amal Hospital, but it does not fill the existing shortage.”[/size]
[size=45]Mina Tahrir continues, “Our role as civil society organizations and activists in the field of supporting cancer patients, and children in particular, is to provide these interrupted treatments, pay for operations and radiation, collect donations, and coordinate with hospitals.”[/size]
[size=45]Last year, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Saif Al-Badr, announced that the annual rate of cancer infection in Iraq is 2,500 cases, including 20 percent breast cancer cases. Basra had the highest rates of cancer infection between 2015 and 2017, ranging between 400 and 500 cases per month, but it increased by nearly 200 percent during 2018.[/size]
[size=45]In November 2018, the Financial Audit Bureau issued a report to evaluate the performance of the Ministry of Health and Environment’s policy on providing the necessary requirements for early detection of cancerous diseases. The report indicated an increase in cancer incidence rates due to the lack of sufficient requirements for early detection and reduction.[/size]
[size=45]The report also indicated that among the most prominent problems that cause the increase in the number of people infected with the disease is the lack of medical personnel and specialized equipment, in addition to the ministry’s lack of a clear vision to determine the requirements required by public service in this field.[/size]
[size=45][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]