Thursday, September 13, 2007
Rates of cancer have risen in Kurdistan
Health
(Kurdish Globe) - Cancer has become a considerable health problem in Kurdistan Region, with rises in breast and lung cancers and leukemia among the most common diagnosed. Recent statistics by Erbil hospitals for blood diseases and oncology have shown an increasing number of patients diagnosed with cancer through the region compared to earlier years.
According to the chemotherapy department at Rizgary Teaching Hospital, 150 cases of cancer had been identified in the hospital in 2006; most of those patients were men affected by lung cancer and women with breast cancer. For this year until now, the number of cancer patients has risen up to 303. "Most patients are under a physician's care; we have no problem in controlling the disease but we have a lack of drugs," said Dr.Khoshawi Kanabi Aziz, assistant manager of the aforementioned hospital. He added that patients' families have to pay about $100 to $150 per month to buy necessary drugs.
Additionally in 2006, according to Nanakaly Hospital, about 891 patients had visited the hospital per month to receive cancer treatment. Currently, 2,454 patients are receiving cancer treatments monthly. Regarding causes of blood cancers, Sami Ahmed, director of Nanakaly Hospital, said, "So far, the exact reason causing these diseases is not well understood, but environmental factors such as radiation from atomic bombs and exposure to some chemicals such as benzene (car fuel) might have an impact on increasing cancer rates among the population."
The patients are treated gratuitously and those who can't be treated in the region are sent abroad at the government's expense. Doctors in Erbil complain about lack of necessary medical instruments to back their abilities in treating the patients inside the region. Apart from local patients, Iranian Kurds, Turkey Kurds, and Arabs from southern Iraq come to receive cancer treatments in Nanakaly Hospital. Beside Erbil's Nanakaly and Rizgary, Hiwa Hospital in Suleimaniya has tried to equip itself for blood diseases and oncology.
Statistics show that, apart from Erbil, the cancer rate in general has risen. In 2006, 782 cases of cancer were identified in the hospital; 430 of them were women and the rest were men. Furthermore, 165 of the patients developed a blood disease (hematology) and others different organ cancers. According to Hiwa Hospital, compared to last year, the number of patients in Erbil has also increased. From the beginning of 2007 to early August, more than 723 patents were diagnosed with cancer in the hospital.
According to the chemotherapy department at Rizgary Teaching Hospital, 150 cases of cancer had been identified in the hospital in 2006; most of those patients were men affected by lung cancer and women with breast cancer. For this year until now, the number of cancer patients has risen up to 303. "Most patients are under a physician's care; we have no problem in controlling the disease but we have a lack of drugs," said Dr.Khoshawi Kanabi Aziz, assistant manager of the aforementioned hospital. He added that patients' families have to pay about $100 to $150 per month to buy necessary drugs.
Additionally in 2006, according to Nanakaly Hospital, about 891 patients had visited the hospital per month to receive cancer treatment. Currently, 2,454 patients are receiving cancer treatments monthly. Regarding causes of blood cancers, Sami Ahmed, director of Nanakaly Hospital, said, "So far, the exact reason causing these diseases is not well understood, but environmental factors such as radiation from atomic bombs and exposure to some chemicals such as benzene (car fuel) might have an impact on increasing cancer rates among the population."
The patients are treated gratuitously and those who can't be treated in the region are sent abroad at the government's expense. Doctors in Erbil complain about lack of necessary medical instruments to back their abilities in treating the patients inside the region. Apart from local patients, Iranian Kurds, Turkey Kurds, and Arabs from southern Iraq come to receive cancer treatments in Nanakaly Hospital. Beside Erbil's Nanakaly and Rizgary, Hiwa Hospital in Suleimaniya has tried to equip itself for blood diseases and oncology.
Statistics show that, apart from Erbil, the cancer rate in general has risen. In 2006, 782 cases of cancer were identified in the hospital; 430 of them were women and the rest were men. Furthermore, 165 of the patients developed a blood disease (hematology) and others different organ cancers. According to Hiwa Hospital, compared to last year, the number of patients in Erbil has also increased. From the beginning of 2007 to early August, more than 723 patents were diagnosed with cancer in the hospital.
Labels: cancer, Kurdistan, Nanakaly Hospital, Rizgary Teaching Hospital
