17 Nov 2014

The Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT) head, Dr Christopher Chembe has expressed concern that male cancer is neglected.

Dr Chember said statistics from Botswana Cancer Registry had shown a high proportion of females affected by reproductive cancer as compared to their male counterparts. However, Dr Chembe pointed out that men were also affected by cancers but were diagnosed late while others were never diagnosed.

“There are many factors responsible which include unavailability of services for male health services, inadequate skills among service providers, ignorance, socio-cultural beliefs and practices on the part of males that impede their ability to seek for help concerning diseases that affect them,” he said.

Dr Chembe was speaking at the launch of MOVEMBER in Maun on Saturday, November 15, which aims to intensify men access to health during the month of November, a campaign symbolised by men keeping their moustache the whole month.

He said between the year 2000 and 2010 cases of cancer were registered among Batswana males such as Kaposis Sarcoma (Skin) 24 per cent, cancer of the oral cavity and pharyx  11 per cent, cancer of the oesophagus 10 per cent, prostate cancer seven per cent while cancer of bronchus and lung registered five per cent cases.

He said MOVEMBER was a global commemoration aimed at creating awareness on neglected communicable and non-communicable diseases affecting men and prevention. Dr Chembe said the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases amongst men in Botswana continued to grow.

He said in the past, maternal and child care health services were associated with women, which resulted in men being passive in health services. The day ended with men and women doing tests for different ailments such as diabetes.  ENDS