Cancer treatment in Guyana has taken on a more radical form within recent times according to Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who disclosed on Friday last that for breast cancer it has shifted to mostly surgeries.
Breast cancer is the most widespread form of cancer which affects Guyanese, and the minister noted that both men and women are fighting breast cancer here.
He said that much more radical treatment is being done for breast cancer “which includes surgery for the removal of the breast”.
Currently some 500 women are registered as being diagnosed with breast cancer and a few men are also on the books. Ramsammy said breast cancer is a very aggressive cancer and unless diagnosed early it becomes fatal, adding that early diagnosis allows for interventions. “It is time for all Guyana to make one more effort to get people aware about breast cancer,” Ramsammy said in reference to the awareness activities on this month.
He continued that cancer is a huge public health problem and pointed to medication and treatment for cancers as being extremely expensive. He said that purchase of medication for cancers is adding a huge expense to the public sector acquisition of drugs.
Further, he said that some cancer patients are facing an uphill battle because they require chemotherapy, medication and radiotherapy to beat cancer.
Stabroek News…yall stop asking this man about his alleged links to Roger Khan??????
YOU ARE RIGHT. WHY ASK QUESTIONS WHEN THEY ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWERS? SILLY, ISN’T IT?
Not silly but the truth hurts all the time…..Keep the pressure on him.
I DO HOPE THAT MORE WOMEN WOULD GO FOR A YEARLY MAMOGRAM, IF THIS IS DETECTED EARLY, THEN THERE WILL BE OTHER OPTIONS TO A MASECTOMY. THIS IS GUYANA — NO PLASTIC OR RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY HERE FOR THESE POOR WOMAN ALTHOUGH I DOUBT THEY CAN AFFORD IT. I DO HOPE THAT THE MINISTRY REALIZES THAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE, AND MAKE CANCER SCREENING MORE ACCESSIBLE (AND I DON’T MEAN HANGING AROUND THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL FOR TWO DAYS TO SEE A DOCTOR). NOT EVEYONE CAN AFFORD TO SEE A PRIVATE DOCTOR AND STILL PAY THE RENT. I WOULD THINK THAT THE HEALTH MINISTRY WOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.
EDUCATION!!!!! Make breast screenings FREE. Women and men need to incorporate this examination into their annual physicals. More needs to be done. Get intervention from the media, put flyers and get to the rural areas and spread the word. Pap smears should also be free. Speed it up Ramsammy and do your job!!! All the time spent defending yourself in the RK matter could have been utilized constructively talking about health care issues. Get a move on this for the sake of the people.
ne ne, do women in the us have free breast screenings and pap smears? just yesterday on tv i saw republicans opposing obama’s health care reform although there are 43 million americans with no healthcare. so look at the country you reside in first before you comment about others.
I greet every one with the word Peace,for without peace there is no love,and without love ,there will allways be War.Our women are the foundation of our nation and we need to learn to love protect and respect them,i see cancer as another violent act being perpetrated against women, especially in the underdevelop countries and the poor working class areas of the rich nations ,what is cancer ,why is it so prevalent today,even though billions of us dollars have been spent on research,what are the contributing factors to this dis ease,is it in the water is it in the food is it in the medication,are there any enviromental factors,do stress play a major role,do chemotheraphy,and all the other theraphies work and if they do what is the success ratio,why is there such an alarming breast cancer count in Guyana for men and women is there any study on that.What is the link between foods with growth hormones and cancer ,is there any studies being done to save guard our people.I conclude by saying return to the source [ Mother Nature ],drink the bush teas and herbs and leave the toxic food alone,Menes De Griot son of the late great Art Sebastion Broomes.Alaafia