across the world since year 2000, on the call of UICC (Union for International Cancer Control ) , to create awareness, improve education & catalyse personal, collective & Government action to work together to prevent millions of preventable cancer deaths and provide access to life saving cancer treatment & care, equitable to all.
The year 2022 being, the first year of three year UICC campaign – “CLOSE THE CARE GAP” to identify & address the barriers that exist for many people around the world to access the care they need. This World Cancer Day, we recognise the power of knowledge.
We know that every single one of us has the ability to make a difference, large or small, and that together we can make real progress in reducing the global impact of cancer.
The first year of the ‘Close the Care Gap’ campaign is all about understanding and recognising the inequities in cancer care around the globe. It’s about having an open mind, challenging assumptions and looking at the hard facts
This is the year to question the status quo and help reduce stigma; to listen to the perspectives of the people living with cancer and their communities and let those lived experiences guide our thoughts and actions.
That’s how we can begin to imagine a better way of doing things and to build a fairer vision of the future—a future where people live healthier lives and have better access to health and cancer services, no matter where they are born, grow, age, work or live.
Cancer incidence and mortality are rapidly increasing worldwide. The reasons are multiple- growing and aging population, lifestyle changes- use of alcohol, tobacco, obesity along with poor socioeconomic conditions etc.
CANCER is also being called a life style disease, as Smoking (13 different types of cancers), Alcohol (7 types) and Obesity (12 types) are associated with and are the biggest and most preventablecancer risk factors.However, early cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment does save lives.
In our country, still many patients consult a Doctor in late stage of the disease. Presently we have treatment for cancer & if it is curable, consultation with the doctor should be in the initial stages. Cancer has claimed so many lives mainly because in most patients it was not diagnosed in the initial stage. Therefore, through World Cancer Day, we need to bring to the forefront an awareness regarding Cancer so that it can be cured.
Cancer Myths are galore in our society and need to be clarified.
Awareness is the first step towards handling any problem. When you come to a life-threatening disease like cancer, the first step towards its prevention is awareness. As a modern civilization, we have come up with a cure for everything but still, the life-threatening problem of cancer remains intact. In such a scenario, creating a community that is aware of this threat is quite important. It’s exactly towards this goal, that World Cancer Day is dedicated. It aims at inculcating in us all, first an understanding regarding the severity of Cancer and then promotes its prevention, detection, and treatment .
The need for creating awareness regarding cancer is felt especially in the current scenario where because of the Covid 19 Pandemic and consequent lockdowns, the treatment of cancer patients took a backseat. We have heard various instances in the past year where cancer patients have suffered in the absence of adequate healthcare facilities as the hospitals were stretched to their limits in managing the pandemic . And therefore at this moment, we need the World Cancer Day to bring this discourse around cancer to the centre and address it in a way which makes a difference.
The first step towards creating a cancer-free world is the awareness that a disease like cancer exists and it could happen to anyone and everyone. So, we all need to talk about it and adopt healthy habits into our lives which could help us tackle this problem at its root. Therefore, the need for World Cancer Day to ensure that people talk enough about cancer and make everyday lifestyle changes to prevent its spread.
World Cancer Day is also important to pay our tribute to the healthcare workers who are constantly working towards both preventing and curing this disease. So, this day can be used to appreciate their contribution.
IMA GOA STATE and it’s branches / wings will be vigourously pursuing these goals on this day and through the week . IMA GOA STATE is organising a ZOOM MEET on AWARNESS AND PREVENTION OF CANCER on 4th February at 7.00pm. Public is requested to Register in advance for this meeting.
Besides this , various programmes for doctors and the general public will be conducted .
Dr.Rufino Monteiro
President , IMA GOA STATE
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