Cancer Control Fund organizes event marking World Cancer Day

The Cancer Control Fund on Wednesday organized in the capital Sana’a a ceremonial event to mark the World Cancer Day.

At the event, Member of the Supreme Political Council, Sultan Al-Samei, referred to the importance of celebrating the World Cancer Day to raise awareness of the dangers of cancer and ways to prevent it.

Al-Samei pointed out that the spread of pesticides and the increase in their use by farmers has doubled the spread of cancer, reviewing what cancer patients suffer as a result of the continued aggression and siege, and the closure of Sanaa International Airport and the prevention of entry of their medicines.

The Political Council’s member pointed to the need to reconsider the legislation to support cancer patients and make a percentage designated for them, especially from pesticide dealers.

For his part, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Najeeb Al-Qubati, considered the World Cancer Day an opportunity to remind that a large segment of society suffers from a disease that threatens their lives every day.

Dr. Al-Qubati indicated that the number of cancer patients reached 71,000 during the years of the aggression as a result of the Saudi-led coalition’s use of internationally prohibited weapons.

He mentioned that there are 9,000 cases of cancer added annually, 15 percent of them is among children, and 12,000 deaths in Yemen.

In turn, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cancer Fund, Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Madani, considered the World Cancer Day an opportunity to introduce the scale of the problem and the reality of the situation that calls for spreading community awareness and mobilizing government support to alleviate the scale of suffering.

He indicated that the number of cases registered at the National Oncology Center in Sana’a is more than 60,000.

The last five years have witnessed a remarkable increase in the rate of disease infection, and cancerous types that were not present in Yemen have spread as a result of the aggression and the use of forbidden weapons.