Why we need an Integrated National Cancer Act (1)

Have you experienced cancer up close — in your own body, your family, your circle of friends and significant others?  Today and next week I give space to the Cancer Coalition Philippines’ campaign for the passage of an Integrated National Cancer Act now. Because:

Cancer is a growing and serious public health concern. It is inextricably linked with the achievement of the country’s poverty reduction and development goals.

Cancer incidence is increasing and is ranked as one of the leading causes of death among adults and children. Starting in 2012, 189 of 100,000 Filipinos are afflicted with cancer yearly. At least 3,900 children are diagnosed with cancer yearly.

In a recent report, the Philippine Statistics Authority states that one in every ten registered deaths in the country is attributable to cancer. Since 2004, cancers have been the third leading cause of death following cardiovascular diseases; for child mortality and morbidity, cancer ranked fourth.

The actual cancer burden and cancer mortality in the Philippines is in fact very much higher than what is being reported. Many remain uncounted, unrecorded and unreported due to the absence of national cancer registries.

Survival rates for the most common adult cancers (i.e., lung, breast, colon, cervical, prostate, liver) are relatively low compared to other countries in Asia and the world.

For women’s all-cancer mortality rate, the Philippines ranks second highest among 15 countries in Asia, with 124 deaths per 100,000 population.

Compared to other Asian countries, the Philippines has the highest mortality rate for breast cancer (27 per 100,000 population) and prostate cancer (13 per 100,000 population). Lung cancer mortality rates are also high, exceeding 40 per 100,000 population. For breast cancer, the Philippines has the lowest survival rate (.58 mortality to incidence ratio).

For childhood cancers, which now has an average survival rate of 84 percent in high-income countries and a growing number of middle-income countries, average survival rate in the Philippines is at a low 30 percent.

Cancer is a catastrophic disease which pushes families deeper into poverty. It debilitates not only patients but also their families and loved ones.

The financial burden can be overwhelming, given that financial risk protection mechanisms are limited and patients often need to pay for their own treatment and other costs, such as medical supplies, food, and transportation.

Evidence shows that among cancer patients, the mean out-of-pocket expenditure for cancer treatment far exceeded the mean household income; 117 percent at baseline to 253 percent 12 months after, leading more than 56 percent of households into financial catastrophe.

These huge out-of-pocket costs often deter health-seeking behavior or lead to discontinuance and abandonment of treatment. In some areas and with certain types of cancer, abandonment or discontinuance of treatment can be as high as 75 percent, while average treatment compliance is at a low 21 percent. These conditions are most observed among the poor sectors and even among the middle class.

Incidence of cancer is projected to increase by as much as 80 percent by 2030, in low-resource countries like the Philippines (WHO). This will have a staggering effect on the ability and resiliency of the Philippine health system as well as its overall economy.

THUS, PURSUANT TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS OF ART. II, SEC. 15 (“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them”), and ART. 13, SEC. 11 (“The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers”)  WE CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO PASS A LAW WHICH WILL EXPAND EFFORTS TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE AND CONTROL CANCER, IN ALL ITS FORMS, BY INCREASING INVESTMENTS FOR ITS PREVENTION, EARLY AND ACCURATE DETECTION, OPTIMAL TREATMENT, AND BY ADOPTING AN INTEGRATED, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, AND PATIENT/FAMILY-CENTERED APPROACH.

More next week on the provisions. You may sign the petition at https://www.facebook.com/CancerCoalitionPH/

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