Pretoria - South Africa this month joins the global community in commemorating Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, aimed at raising awareness about children’s cancers, to reduce child mortality and highlight the global burden of childhood cancers.
Although children`s cancers are not always treated like adult cancers, they are highly curable, with higher survival rates in high-income countries, while the situation is different in low-middle-income countries.
A joint statement by the national Department of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) said delayed diagnosis, together with too few specially trained health specialists, such as doctors and nurses, contribute to low survival rates.
The 2022 Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is commemorated under the theme: “Better Survival is achievable #throughyourhands” which serves as a clarion call for governments, non-government, and the private sector to work together to achieve at least 60% survival in low-middle-income countries and to reduce suffering of all children with cancer by 2030 worldwide.
Globally, childhood and adolescent cancer is threatening to overtake infectious diseases, as one of the highest causes of disease-related mortality in children.
Despite being relatively rare, in high-income countries childhood cancer is the second most common cause of death in children aged five to 14 years, after accidents, while in Africa it does not make it into the top 10 common causes.
The month of September is considered a month of hope for better treatment outcomes, for a brighter and healthier future for young cancer patients.
Professor Gita Naidu, chairperson of the South African Children’s Cancer Study Group said: “Early diagnosis and availability of basic childhood cancer drugs will enable us to meet the WHO 2030 goal of an overall survival of 60% in low-middle-income countries. Childhood cancer can be cured”.
According to Dr Kibachio Joseph Mwangi, medical officer responsible for Non-Communicable Diseases at the WHO in South Africa, awareness of childhood cancer symptoms by families and primary care providers is critical.
“Unlike in adults where screening has a huge impact on early cancer diagnosis treatment and outcome, awareness of childhood cancer symptoms by families and primary care providers, accurate and timely clinical evaluation as well as accurate diagnosis, staging and access to prompt treatment will go a long way to improve our survival rate in children with cancer,” he said.
Early detection of childhood cancer affords early diagnosis, enabling a better chance of being cured and an increase in the survival rate.
Sandhya Singh, acting chief director in the cluster: Non-Communicable Diseases at the national Department of Health, stresses the importance of meaningful engagement with all stakeholders, in particular with children and teenagers living with cancer, as well as their parents or caregivers to better understand their lived experiences and impact on their access to care as well as the quality of survival.
Hedley Lewis, CEO at CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation of South Africa added: “You have the power to make a change, no matter who you are, let’s be a voice for our children and teenagers this International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! Our children deserve to live a full life, and we have the power to give them the chance to do so.”
The survival rate in South Africa has gradually increased over the past few years to about 55%, though it is still well below the rate of developed countries of 80 to 90%, and the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) 2030 goal of at least a 60% survival rate.
Statistics indicate that countries may be missing some children and teens who are either never diagnosed, misdiagnosed or go unreported.
A key factor is the lack of knowledge about the early warnings signs of childhood cancer which are accessible in various platforms including CHOC website.
Community members are urged to be the “change” for those going through the childhood cancer journey and for those who have been newly diagnosed.
There are many ways people can get involved this September, in order to make a difference in the lives of children and teenagers who are on the cancer recovery journey.
IOL