Health Minister urges population to get early cancer screenings

The Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo, made this statement yesterday afternoon at the launching of activities in the context of World Cancer Day 2019 held at the Roche-Bois Social Welfare Centre.  Following the launch ceremony, several activities were proposed to the public: breast and cervical cancer screenings, yoga demonstration, cooking exhibition, and medical check-ups.

In his address, Minister Husnoo recalled that World Cancer Day is an opportune time to raise awareness about cancer and to reflect upon Governmental as well as individual actions across the world against the disease.  As far as Mauritius is concerned, he said, Government is determined to improve the life of the patients by providing them with the best healthcare services and is therefore investing massively in the provision of modern equipment and facilities to diagnose and treat cancers.

Speaking about the World Health Organisation’s campaign focusing on the theme ‘I Am and I Will’, the Minister emphasised the need of mobilising individual and collective actions to help raise awareness regarding cancer which is responsible for the death of millions of people around the world, and hence increase the likelihood of surviving an early cancer diagnosis.  He expressed concern that cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide with some 9.6 million victims last year, which is expected to increase by 70% in the next 20 years.

As for Mauritius, Dr Husnoo deplored that it is the third cause of death with 1,366 deaths in 2017 compared to 889 in 2005.  More women, he indicated, tend to be affected by cancers with some 4,153 women compared to 2,700 men among the new cases of cancer registered in 2017.

According to the Minister, the increasing cases of cancers can be explained by the ageing population, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet as well as alcohol and cigarette addictions.  He urged the population to adopt a healthy lifestyle which will help to reduce the incidence and prevalence of cancer and to avail themselves of the healthcare facilities being provided by Government as regards precautionary measures to be adopted.

Moreover, Dr Husnoo reiterated Government’s objective of further enhancing public healthcare services by upgrading existing healthcare infrastructures and through the construction of new ones.  Moreover, he enumerated key projects in the pipeline in the health sector namely: the new Teaching Hospital in Flacq; an Eye Hospital in Réduit; a New Cancer Centre at Solferino; and, the new ENT Hospital in Vacoas.

World Cancer Day 2019

World Cancer Day is observed every year on 4 February to raise awareness about cancer and the contribution of one and all in the fight against cancer so as to bring a decrease in deaths caused by this fatal disease.

To mark the event, the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life is organising a series of activities including screening for breast and cervical cancer, exhibitions and demonstration of physical activities at national level.