06 September 2010
According to Health Ministry Statistics there were 4,746 new cancer cases in South Kurdistan
Medicine professionals link recent rise in cancer patients with bad quality Turkish, Iranian and Chinese exported foods which are not compatible with food safe standards.
According to Health Ministry Statistics there were 4,746 new cancer cases in South Kurdistan.
In western countries cancer incidence is around 8 in 10,000 excluding non malignant skin cancer. With a population of 4 million the incidence in South Kurdistan is higher than average, 1,2 in 1000.
The statistics show breast cancer is the most seen cancer type in South Kurdistan. Twenty five percent of newly diagnosed patients have breast cancer.
Medicine professionals say bad quality of the imported food is linked with the incidence of certain type of cancer.
Speaking to Rudaw website Dr Niza Taha Maky said a some countries send food products that contains cancerous chemicals intentionally.
Dr. Maky said food quality controls on the borders are not efficient and to prevent cancerous products to enter South Kurdistan.
Dr. Jangy Shawkat Salayee, a Kurd who has received a PhD in cancer in Spain, has criticized the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for not doing much to combat cancer in the region.
“We have zero research on cancer in Kurdistan,” said Dr. Salayee adding: “We don’t even have a special hospital or center for cancer diseases.”
The KRG confirms his words.
“We have not done any study about why breast cancer, for instance, has become so common in the Kurdistan region,” said Dr. Ashwaq Hanna Abdul-Ahad, an official with the Ministry of Health.
But she said her minister had kept training the doctors of how to provide the patients with best treatment.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) “cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. The disease accounted for 7.4 million deaths (or around 13% of all deaths worldwide) in 2004.”
The main types of cancer leading to overall cancer mortality each year are: Lung, stomach, colorectal, liver and breast.
ANF / NEWS DESK
ANF NEWS AGENCY
