Ministry of Health has revealed that 48% of premature deaths are related to non-communicable diseases.
Chief of Health Services -Technical in the Ministry, Dr Lilian Chunda, said this at the 6th Malawi Cancer Symposium in Lilongwe which is under the theme ‘Close the Care Gap, recognise the power of working together in the fight against cancer’.
Chunda stressed the need for more awareness about cancers that affect men and children in the country.
She singled out Oesophageal, Kaposi’s sarcoma, cervical cancer and breast cancer as some of the common cancers in the country.
Stakeholders at the symposium will discuss and examine issues related to the country’s cancer strategy, screening, care, treatment, and research.
The UNC Project Malawi – Cancer Program, organisers of the event in partnership with the Ministry of Health, noted that the burden of cancer remains a major public health concern in Malawi.
The two-day symposium has been organised by the UNC Project -Cancer Programme and the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
