“In Mozambique, it is estimated that there are around 26,000 new cases a year and just over 17,000 deaths due to malignant disease, the most frequent of which are cervical, breast and prostate cancers, Kaposi’s sarcoma, paediatric cancer and other cancers related to HIV/AIDS,” said the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health (Misau), Ivan Manhiça.
The official was speaking today in Maputo at the opening of the annual meeting of the National Cancer Control Programme, where he pointed out that cancers are already the second cause of death in people aged between 15 and 49, and are the first in people over 50.
“Lack of knowledge of the initial manifestations and failure to regularly seek health services for cancer screening are among the causes of late diagnosis of the disease, resulting in loss of human life,” said Misau’s permanent secretary.
The Mozambican authorities said that Kaposi’s sarcoma, prostate cancer, liver cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and oesophageal cancer are the ones that kill the most men, while cervical cancer and breast cancer are the most fatal for women.
Government figures indicate that there are around 1,648 cases of paediatric cancers in the country every year, at a time when Mozambique already has at least 1,700 health units trained in cancer screening.
Despite acknowledging progress in the expansion of the network of health units, the growing number of professionals who deal with cancers, including the adoption of new techniques for treating these diseases, Mozambique’s government still admitted to challenges regarding the control and treatment of cancers.
“We are fully aware of the challenges. There are still inequalities in access to early diagnosis, gaps in treatment in certain regions, and an emotional and economic burden that weighs on thousands of families. It’s our responsibility to turn these weaknesses into opportunities for action,” said Ivan Manhiça.
Faced with these challenges, Mozambique’s government has asked health professionals to invest in disseminating information that encourages the prevention of these diseases and to move forward with strengthening the care network throughout the territory, ensuring that all citizens receive care.
“Let’s continue to invest in research and innovation. The future of the fight against cancer will increasingly be determined by scientific knowledge, technology, and the ability to turn discoveries into accessible solutions,” concluded Ivan Manhiça.
Platform with Mozambique
