DURBAN - ALMOST 90% of Sub-Saharan African children who are diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders do not survive, because of the lack of healthcare practitioners to treat them.
Professor John Damonti, the president of the New York based Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, cited this crisis as among the reasons for pouring in over $5million into the Multinational Lung Cancer Control Program launched on Wednesday.
Damonti said: “In Western Europe, 80% of children diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders are cured. In Sub-Saharan Africa 90% of those children die from the same diseases. They are dying due to the same diseases reasons they were dying from HIV which is that there is not enough healthcare practitioners in place to actually treat those kids."
Damonti: There is a lack of medical healthcare practitioners pic.twitter.com/59fg1KjoDe
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) February 21, 2018
The program was launched by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s College of Health Sciences.
At the helm of the program stands a team of young black academics who will carry out the cancer program across Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
Dr Themba Ginindza, a senior lecturer at the UKZN College of Health Sciences said the program was the first of it’s kind as it crosses over four African countries, including Swaziland, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
The MLCCP aims to bring lung cancer awareness to small communities which would include tools for cancer screening methods. It would also, in the long run, leave volunteers and research assistants with invaluable experience.
@SundayTribuneSA Why is MLCCP which will treat #Lung #Cancer so unique? @UKZN Dr Themba Ginindza: pic.twitter.com/Ye63BRHa1g
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) February 21, 2018
The KwaZulu-Natal - South Africa leg will be spearheaded by UKZN senior lecturer of epidemiology, Dr Khumbulani Hlongwana, and lecturer Nkosana Jafta.
Professor Ben Sartorius will also join the team which would operate the program in Chatsworth, the South Durban Basin, and specific areas in Umlazi, Imbali and Sobantu.
Watch: The KZN-SA arm of the MLCCP is being led by five @UKZN academics and will benefit these townships, Dr Themba Ginindza: @SundayTribuneSA pic.twitter.com/19IA8OT9zx
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) February 21, 2018