Cancer in Africa

Cancer has become a major cause of mortality on the continent of Africa. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in 2018 Africa saw 811,200 new incidences of cancer with 534,000 deaths. By 2020, deaths due to cancer had increased by 45% in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. These facts paint a grim picture of the impact of cancer on Africans.

Lack of modern equipment that is well maintained, inadequate numbers of oncologists and pathologists, coupled with patients seeking diagnosis and treatment too late to be beneficial, are but a few of the challenges the continent faces in stemming the tide of the disease.

Dr. Hugues F. Batsielilit explores the issues bearing some responsibility for the rise in cancer incidence and mortality, and offers salient suggestions for improvement of services, prevention education, diagnosis, and treatment.