Doctors: Cancer centers suffer neglect amid rise in patients’ number

Khartoum-Medical specialists complained from neglect of cancer disease medical centers by the government and health ministry. The specialists revealed constant increasing in the number of the patients, and warned against possible cases among the gold miners.
In the meantime, they have urged the government to open the constructed centers in Marawi and Shendi, establish centers in Obeid and other states’ capitals and support it with the cadres and the equipments to confront the disease and reduce pressures on the hospitals in the capital.
Dr. Kamal Hamad, who specialized in the oncology and the nuclear medicine, told the Citizen on Monday that new cases of lung cancer caused by smoking have been registered. However, he downplayed the seriousness of these cases comparing to the global illness rate. He said that the news cases are estimated to be ranging from 9 to 11 thousand per year.
He stated that there are patients in the peripheral and rural areas who cannot come to Khartoum for treatment due to poverty. He affirmed that the state is supporting the treatment with 3 billion pounds per year.
He said that the unsystematic exploration of gold is dangerous for those miners who live under harsh circumstances such as dust and malnutrition, saying that the use of mercury and silicon endangers the health of the miners. He urged the government to provide health services at the mining sites.