07 May 2014

Botswana, like many countries in the developing world, is faced with an increasing burden of lifestyle diseases such as cancer.

Minister of Health, Dr John Seakgosing said this at the official opening of Oncology Symposium in Gaborone on May 5.

He said due to changing lifestyles, Botswana was now threated by diseases, which were foreign to this nation. He stated that World Health Organisation reported that about 14 million new cancer cases were diagnosed with about eight million cancer related deaths occurring globally in the same period in 2012.

Dr Seakgosing noted that statistics of mortalities related to HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria combined were about 3.5 million as compared to eight million deaths from cancer alone.

“That is how alarming the situation is and hence my statement that cancer is threatening to decimate our nations, to make matters worse, the burden and the mortality from the three is on decline whereas that of cancer is on the rise,” he said.


The minister further said it was worth noting that the percentages of the deaths per population occurring in developing countries were more than double compared to what was happening in the developed world.

In Botswana, he said, the cancer registry indicated that malignancies were on the increase, adding that the top cancers were skin cancers, cervix, breast and prostate, which all had a high mortality.

Rev Dr John Seakgosing said although changing lifestyle and age played a role in cases of cancer, it was indisputable that HIV infection contributed in Botswana and other Sub Saharan countries.

He explained that research showed that of all cancers three of them were preventable and three were curable, while only a third went to palliative stage.

However, he said in Sub Saharan region and Botswana the statistics were not applicable.

“A number of those cancers that could be preventable develop because either our communities have not had enough sensitisation or education or we have not adequately addressed primary prevention.

”He said the third that are curable were not curable due to late diagnosis, inadequate screening programmes, or because of lack of enough expertise and treatment modalities to effectively cure the affected individuals.

Rev Dr Seakgosing said palliative care was also not up to standard locally, saying patients lived the last days of their lives in miserable and unacceptable state.


He noted that it was gratifying that partners like the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Botswana Harvard Partnership who had been focused on HIV and AIDS work were now venturing into new areas like cancer research and care.

However, the Minister said they have introduced oncology specialists into a few district hospitals to decentralise treatment of some of the cancers hence bring such services closer to the patients.

He said in the past, patients have been referred to neighbouring countries for brachytherapy but was now offered locally since last year.


He noted that Botswana was not where it should be therefore he hoped that the symposium would result with better and innovative ways on how to prevent new cases of cancers among others. ENDS