Leukemia, cancer deadly for children below 16

Leukemia, cancer deadly for children below 16

Despite the increase in number of leukemia and brain cancer in children to between 450 and 500 cases a year, Tanzania has witnessed considerable  improvements in containing the disease to a survival patients rate of between 35.9 to 60 percent from the previous 10-15percent.

Speaking on behalf of Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) doctors in Dar es Salaam this week, the Acting Head of Paediatrician Hematology Unit Dr Livin Mumburi said Tanzanian children mostly under the age of 16 are victims of cancer, leukemia leading to 290 new cases at the Paediatric Oncology Unit from the previous 150 patients every year.

Dr Mumburi however said with the expansion of the Paediatric Oncology at MNH, the country has witnessed a reduction in number of referrals to India and other countries from children with cancer cases.

“We need to expand pediatric cancer care to tertiary hospitals in the country because many children suffer from brain cancer, leukemia and tumors, he said adding that more children needs such services especially with a policy of free cancer care for everyone”.

He however noted that despite some tremendous progress being done to treat the disease in the country, cancer treatment still remains very expensive and a need to source for external support in supplies and equipments.

The government needs to allocate more funds for the disease and ensure that the supplies and equipment in demand like pulse oximeter, trucut biopsy needles are available because the Paediatric Oncology unit is still facing many challenges including delays in referring patients for cancer diagnosis, he said.

 He also pointed out that there is lack of awareness campaign to the public and health service providers about cancer and leukemia disease in children saying suspected patients needs immediate referrals to tertiary hospital for appropriate diagnosis.

Paediatric oncology unit is now offering pediatric cancer care treatment to almost all childhood disease to enable low income families who could not afford overseas medical care to get treatment.

“We have reduced the number of referrals for children with cancer to India and other countries as we now treat them safely here at home,” he stated.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer currently cause 63 per cent of all disease related deaths worldwide and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that deaths from NCDs will increase by a further 17 per cent in the next decade.

In Africa, that number will jump by 24 per cent. Cancers that affect children most often occur in the developing cells like bone marrow, blood, kidneys and nervous system tissues.