13,000 people diagnosed with cancer in one year: Dr. Feroz

KABUL (MoPH) on Sunday said cancer cases were on the increase in the country and the government was implementing a national cancer control program to deal with the situation.

Health Minister Dr. Ferozuddin Feroz told a gathering in Kabul that cancer cases were increasing in the country and currently 60 persons were being brought to the Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Centre.

He said as many as 13,000 people had been diagnosed with cancer in the past one year. Feroz said estimates showed until 2030 cancer cases would further increase not only in Afghanistan but in other countries as well by 50 percent.

He said as a result of efforts by First Lady Rula Ghani, the cancer diagnosis and treatment project was converted into the National Cancer Control Programme.

Shinkai Karokhel, head of the Counter-Cancer Foundation, said unprecedented and volunteer efforts of the foundation had resulted in forcing the health ministry into launching the National Cancer Control Programme.

She said the creation of the cancer diagnosis center at Jamohoriat Hospital was a huge achievement.

She asked the meeting participants to increase coordinative efforts so that the health ministry could establish a separate hospital for cancer.

ma