How Cancer is Becoming Africa's New Health Burden?

Cancer is a leading healthcare problem in Africa. According to recent reports, 5 million patients in Africa are dying due to cancer annually. This figure is expected to double up in the next few years. Cervical, breast, lung & prostate cancer are the major types of cancer affecting population of Africa. Prostate cancer is the leading cause of mortality in Africa. It killed around 29,500 patients in Africa last year. Apart from this, researchers state that nearly 12 percent of women in Africa die every year due to cervical cancer. Whereas, breast cancer affects around 19% of African women. It has been found that due to sedentary lifestyle, one in every 10 African women has the risk of developing breast cancer. In addition to this, lung cancer accounted for approximately 18,000 deaths in Africa in the year 2016.

Leading Causes of Cancer in Africa

• Poor Lifestyle Choices - Latest studies reveal that over the last few decades, unhealthy eating habits & physical inactivity has resulted in various health-related issues including cancer. African people are heavily involved in activities like smoking & drinking. Alcohol drinking in Africa is becoming a common practice. It will not be wrong to say that heavy alcohol intake & breast cancer are directly proportional to each other. Various studies have proven this fact that excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for breast cancer in African women. A healthy lifestyle can prevent the occurrence of cancer & save many lives.
• Lack of Medical Facilities - Cancer is a life-threatening disease which is not easy to diagnose. Cancer treatment needs a high degree of precision. Poor medical services are the root cause of high mortality rate in Africa. On an average, only one healthcare expert per 1000 patients is available in Africa. Therefore, shortage of qualified medical professionals (especially, oncologists) & essential equipment for cancer screening has led to rising in death rate due to cancer.
• Lack of Awareness - Cancer can be controlled to a larger extent by educating people properly. Most of the African population is still unaware of cancer & its risk factors. Poor healthcare education & illiteracy are the main reasons why cancer is killing African patients. According to top healthcare reports, two-third of cancer can be prevented by raising awareness among people & early cancer detection.

Patients should exercise regularly & eat a nutritious diet. Avoiding habits like smoking & alcohol consumption can considerably minimize the risk of cancer development. These simple steps can greatly boost health & wellness in Africa.

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