Middle East Healthcare News » Cancer

Reports Saying Cancer Cases in Lebanon are Increasing

ICTFH — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:52:03 +0000

Between 2002 and 2007, number of new cancer cases in Lebanon increased by 5% annually. El Nashra news website reported “The increase can be partially attributed to improvements in methods of registering patients, and to the new inclusion by the Health Ministry of non-melanoma skin cancer into the figures, after it began to be treated along with other cancers”.

According to El Nashra, there has been a lack of reliable data about cancer rates in Lebanon since 2006, when the ministry stopped releasing its annual cancer report as it provided “inaccurate information” The website reported that the Health Ministry provides free treatments for more than 50% of cancer patients.

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Contaminated Imported Goods Increase Cancers In Saudi Arabia

ICTFH — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:17:56 +0000

According to the chairman of the Saudi Consumer Protection Society (SCPS), Saudi cancer cases are 4 times world rate as a result of contaminated imported goods.

Dr. Nasser Al-Tuwaim mentioned that “Cancer cases are on the rise and 35 percent of the populations have liver diseases because companies and individuals import foodstuffs that do not reveal the possible harm these products may cause”. Moreover, he reported that some products imported from China could involve cancerous materials, he also noted “The Chinese commercial attaché told me that the Saudi traders ask only for cheap prices and are not concerned about the quality or safety of the goods they import from China”

Al-Tuwaim mentioned that the community should create a campaign against commercial fraud including a boycott of goods that are sold at exaggerated profits. So he mentioned that “During the campaign, fraudulent companies and individual traders will be named and shamed”.

Moreover, he reported that the community should form a special website for this reason and such initiative would open the door for volunteers in order to operate it under its motto: “We are all eyes and watchmen”. Through the website, the community would emanate statements monthly concerning the results of its investigations and asked consumers to contact the society via its toll free hotline.

Some Saudi merchants were accused by Al-Tuwaim for causing serious diseases and deaths through importing shoddy car parts or goods that don’t completely significant with health regulations.

Dr. Nasser Al-Tuwaim reported that the community has gained information and established studies center to document its results and he added that they have teams’ collaboration with them in order to support them with details of clandestine commercial transactions and prices. He reported “We have information that such cheating has extended to include imports of Australian sheep and car spare parts, which are replaced by some dealers who fit counterfeit parts and sell the original ones”.

He also mentioned that the community would conduct inspection visits and transfer their results to the government to adopt sanctions against traders who cheat consumers. Besides, he noted that the center has begun gathering the prices of Australian sheep and it was discovered that they were bought at very high prices in Saudi Arabia.

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Healthcare News update from Kuwait

ICTFH — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:59:46 +0000

Al-Anba daily reported that Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, the Kuwaiti Minister of Health, has decided to exempt expatriate children suffering from cancer from treatment costs and charges to reduce its burden on their families. He had also referred many doctors and employees to the public prosecution after internal investigation as it proved their forgery in many overseas treatment cases.

At the time, there are about 18.5% of the Kuwaiti society members are diabetic patients, while there are 300 million diabetic patients around the world. It is also predicted that the number will be increased to 450 million by 2030, according to Al-Seyassah daily quoting diabetes consultant at Firdous Health Center Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Enezi.

At a recent seminar on the occasion of World Diabetes Day in Manahi Al-Osaimi Health Center, Dr Al-Enezi stressed that it is easy to prevent diabetes from spreading through enhancing the public awareness about diabetes and its symptoms. He explained the reasons that contribute to diabetes, such as family history, age, high blood pressure, heart diseases and lack of exercise in lifestyle.

According to another news, published in Al-Seyassah daily, the Kuwaiti Doctors League strongly refused the statement made by Dr. Ahmad Al-Fadlih, the Deputy head of Kuwait Medical Association, that the association has draft bills on medical faults to the ministry of Health, which were needed for the completion of the study to be prepared for its authentication from the national cabinet.Dr. Hussein Al-Khabaz, head of the league, said,” the condemnation became necessary because Al-Fadhlih has specified amounts to be deducted from the salaries of doctors without holding an extraordinary general assembly to gather the suggestions and opinions of members.”

The league’s secretary mentioned that Al-Fadhlih might as well act on behalf the health minister’s spokesman, stating why he revealed that the ministry will sent the bills to the cabinet even if he is not the minister.

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British Team For Treating cancer at NBK Children hospital

admin — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:16:25 +0000

A medical team from The Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) is going to offer its services for patients at National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) Children Hospital for the next three years. The team includes British physicians and surgeons who are going to use their experiences in cancer, blood disorders and neurosurgery not only to treat diseased children, but also to train a medical team from Kuwait on how to treat such patients.

The British team will provide its services according to a program initiated by NBK, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, to treat Leukemia in Kuwait. The objective of the program is to offer high-leveled healthcare for children suffering from cancer and other blood abnormalities. Realizing the significance of the visit, NBK will be covering the total expenses of the visit of the British team. Emad A. Al Ablani, Head of Human Resources, NBK Group, said: “Since its founding almost six decades ago, NBK has made support of the Kuwaiti healthcare sector a top priority. Hence, NBK has taken several initiatives in this domain including the creation of NBK Children Hospital at Al Sabah Medical Area to provide medical attention to underprivileged children. NBK is relentlessly endeavoring to utilize its resources and capabilities to ensure the provision of proper medication for children suffering blood ailments and draw a smile on their faces”

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Lack of cancer treatment services in Madina, report.

admin — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:56:58 +0000

According to a recent report, there is a high rate of mortalities between cancer patients in Madina. The cause of such rate is the lack of specialized hospitals, laboratories, and medical equipment needed to cure cancer patients in the city. Every year, cancer causes death to 585 of 740 patients, including killing 650 adults and 90 children, which represent an average of two adults daily and one child every four days.

Moreover, cancer caused death to a number of 4,150 patients throughout the last 7 years. On the other hand, 600 children and 1400 adults are currently being undergoing treatment at the hospitals and medical centers of Madina. The report noted that there is a need for increasing the use of cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It recommended the government to establish a new specialized oncology center in the city, which would cost around SR150 million. The report also encouraged the private organizations to start providing cancer treatment services in order to decrease the load on the public hospitals.

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Cancer is the second cause of death in Jordan.

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:04:48 +0000

According to a recent study, cancer is the second cause of death in Jordan. The study was conducted by three Jordanian oncologists and it noted that 14% of recorded deaths in the kingdom, between 1996 and 2005, were due to cancer.

The study reported that 33,661 of individuals in Jordan were identified with cancer between January 1996 and December 2005; among them were 16,981 males and 16,680 females. The study also noted that top five types of cancer reported in males were Lung (10.6%), colorectal (9.8%), leukemia (9.3%), urinary and bladder (8.6%) and prostate cancer (7.4%). Meanwhile, the top five types of cancer in females were Breast (32.0%), colorectal (9.0%), leukemia (6.7%), thyroid (4.9%) and uterine cancer (4.6%).

Dr. Sami Khatib, an oncologists involved in the study, mentioned that it aimed to support the efforts carried out by healthcare officials to develop plans for fighting cancer in Jordan. He said “This is the first comprehensive study on cancer incidence in the country since the National Cancer Registry was established in 1996,” Dr. Khatib noted that the prevalence rates of cancer types between males and females in Jordan are following the same rates recorded in the Arab world, where the main type of cancers recorded are lung and breast in males and females respectively.

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WHO Conducts A study on Mobile-Cancer Link

ICTFH — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:07:07 +0000

A study by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the largest ever to look at possible links between mobile phones and brain cancer, threw up inconclusive results but researchers said suggestions of a possible link demanded deeper examination.

‘The results really don’t allow us to conclude that there is any risk associated with mobile phone use, but… it is also premature to say that there is no risk associated with it,’ the IARC’s director Christopher Wild told Reuters.

The results of the study have been keenly awaited by mobile phone companies and by campaign groups who have raised concerns about whether mobile phones cause brain tumours.

Wild said part of the problem with this study, which was launched in 2000, was that rates of mobile phone usage in the period it covered were relatively low compared with today.

It was also based on people searching their memories to estimate how much time they spent on their cell phones, a method that can throw up inaccuracies.

European scientists last month launched what will now become the biggest ever study into the effects of mobile phone use on long-term health. It aims to track at least a quarter of a million of people in five European countries for up to 30 years.

This kind of study, called a prospective study, is considered more accurate because it does not require people to remember their cell phone use later but tracks it in real time.

Data from the IARC study showed that overall, mobile telephone users in fact had a lower risk of brain cancer than people who had never used one, but the 21 scientists who conducted the study said this finding suggested problems with the method, or inaccurate information from those who took part.

Other results showed high cumulative call time may slightly raise the risk, but again the finding was not reliable.

‘There are indications of a possible increase. We’re not sure that it is correct. It could be due to bias, but the indications are sufficiently strong… to be concerned.’

Because of this, and because cell phone use is rising all the time, more research was needed, the scientists said.

The 21 scientists were part of a group known as the Interphone International Study Group which was funded in part by money from mobile phone companies. The study was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

The researchers said the majority of people covered in their study ‘were not heavy mobile phone users by today’s standards’.

The average lifetime cumulative call time for those who took part was around 100 hours, with an average of 2 to 2-1/2 hours of reported use a month. The heaviest 10 percent of users had clocked up an average of 1,640 hours of phone use spread over 10 years, which corresponds to about half an hour a day.

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The King Hussein Cancer Center Opened

ICTFH — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:47:56 +0000

King Abdullah and Queen Rania attended the opening of the King Hussein Cancer center (KHCC) on Monday.

Funds raised at the event will support the completion of a new state-of-the-art facility to complement the existing centre and absorb the increase in demand for cancer care in the region.

The new facility will consist of two buildings: One for diagnosis, treatment and inpatient beds, and the other housing outpatient clinics.

Many cancer survivors who had been treated at the KHCC attended the gala, sending a message of hope to all cancer patients that a cancer diagnosis does not mean death and that with modern comprehensive treatment, such as that offered by the KHCC, patients have a great chance of survival.

HRH Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the KHCF board of trustees, said: “We are honoured to have with us tonight His Majesty King Abdullah and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah who have been the patients’ champions from day one. Many cancer patients would not be with us today, were it not for Their Majesties’ unconditional leadership and support of the King Hussein Cancer Centre and its patients.”

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Apollo Medical Centre to Present Super Speciality Urology Clinic

ICTFH — Mon, 10 May 2010 10:37:19 +0000

Apollo Medical Centre will present super specialty consultancy services from Apollo Hospitals Group, India on May 14 and 15.

The patients with Stone Disease (all types of kidney stones), prostate problems (elderly), urinary obstruction or blood in urine, infertility/impotence (erectile dysfunction), renal failure or needing transplantation, children with urinary tract disorders or birth defects, females with urinay infections or urinary incontinence, all types of tumours (cancers) of kidney and urinary tract and all patients treated at Apollo Hyderabad can meet the visiting doctors for follow-up and advice.

The patients who consult and are operated by Dr Rajagopal can access him in Apollo Health City, Hyderabad , demonstrating the benefits of using technology for the service of humanity.

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NCD Diseases to Become Major killer in Region

ICTFH — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:23:09 +0000

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that non-communicable diseases (NCD) are expected to claim the lives of 25 million people across the region annually by 2015.

WHO Regional Director Hussein Gezairy said NCDs are currently responsible for over half of all deaths and over 60 per cent of the region’s disease burden, mainly in the form of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

At the opening of four simultaneous international diabetes and endocrinology conferences in the capital yesterday, Gezairy said this number is likely to increase despite the fact that NCDs are preventable and have identifiable risk factors.

Gezairy noted that over the next decade, the WHO projects the largest increase in deaths from NCDs to occur in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

According to figures he presented in a lecture following the opening of the conferences, 80 per cent of diabetes (type 2), heart disease and strokes are preventable, compared to 40 per cent of cancer cases.

In Jordan, prevention efforts remain disparate, according to Abdelkarim Khawaldeh, senior consulting endocrinologist and member of the Jordanian Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (JSED).

The latest studies conducted in the Kingdom indicate that 40 per cent of Jordanians over the age of 40 suffer from diabetes as do 30 per cent of Jordanians between the ages of 25 and 40. Around three million Jordanians are expected to be affected by diabetes in 2050 unless serious steps are taken, National Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics Director General Kamel Ajlouni said in a previous statement.

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