Head of the Grenada Cancer Programme, Dr. Carl Niamatali has given notice that he will championing the need to implement legislation to ban cigarette smoking in public places.
Addressing the official launch of the National Cancer Programme and the commissioning of the Cancer Registry, Dr. Niamatali indicated that the only way to stem the rise of cancer is prevention.
He told the gathering including Health Minister, Senator Ann David-Antoine that the main carcinogens cancer-causing substances are tobacco, alcohol, sunlight and obesity.
"I will be pestering the Minister (of Health) at some stage to ensure that legislation is put in place to ban smoking in public places. Tobacco is the number one cause of lung cancer, and is the number cause of death worldwide," he said."Of all the natural catastrophes that befall us, the most distressing are those caused by our own behaviour," he added.
The medical professional said it is estimated that in this century, one billion people will die from lung cancer.
Dr. Niamatali also said the statistics show that by the year 2015 and 2020, in low and middle-income countries like Grenada, there will be a significant increase in cancer.
He regarded the commissioning of the cancer registry as a milestone in the cancer programme on the island.
He said the cancer registry will be used to monitor cancer trends overtime, to determine cancer patterns in the population, to guide planning evaluation of treatment and caner control, to determine the outcome of prevention, screening and treatment strategies, and to provide valuable information that will help health care providers to better plan and prevent cancer.
In giving an overview of the oncology programme in Grenada, the Guyanese born oncologist said that when patients are referred to his department they first consult with them and then evaluate the ailment before putting together all of the information needed to have a final diagnosis and final staging of the cancer.
Once this is complete, he said the medical experts will then have a discussion with the patients about their options of treatment.
Dr. Niamatali stressed that there were clear advantages for people seeking early screening for cancer which is the number two cause of deaths worldwide.
He said 80 percent of the cancer patients that are seen have breast cancer.
"If breast cancer is picked up early we can cure 95 percent of these patients. Not only that, we need fewer resources to stage these patients, and fewer resources to deliver chemotherapy," he remarked.
According to Dr. Niamatali, he is hoping that no person with cancer or who have a fear of cancer will stay at home and be afraid to come to get treatment.
He said it is very distressing for him and his staff when patients turn up at the clinic with advanced cancer.
"All we can do is defer chemotherapy because the stage of the disease and the spread of the disease, as well as the performance score of the patient and co-morbid diseases that may be present such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, precludes the patient from having chemotherapy and palliative care is the only option," he added.
Dr. Niamatali indicated that at the moment approximately 40 percent of patients need palliative care.
He announced that a leading specialist, Dr. Dipna Waldron from the University College Hospital in Gallaway will be visiting Grenada in March to establish a palliative care programme and a hospice.
"This will be of major benefits to cancer patients who are terminally ill for pain relief, nutrition and other support, and also to treat chronic disease... such as heart failure, and kidney failure," he said.
Dr. Niamatali said that patients are often referred for overseas treatment when they are unable to offer the patients treatments locally.
However, he was quick to add that it is his hope that in two years time there will be radiation treatment for all patients in Grenada."We don't have to send people to Trinidad. People don't have to go and stand in line in any other country. We will be able to deliver all the cancer treatment right here in Grenada," he assured the gathering.
The oncologist said that in terms of diagnosing cancer, it is critical that the Pathology Department be one hundred percent correct.
Dr. Niamatali disclosed that one of his associates from Ireland, Professor Connolly where he previously worked will be coming to Grenada in March to review the current situation in Pathology, "and offer further assistance."
He said that no country in the world including the United States and China with greater financial resources can afford to continue to treat all of the health care issues that present themselves.
It was pointed out that the cost of cancer treatment is extremely expensive.
In the period May 2005 to February 2007, EC $327,796.93 was spent locally for cancer treatment by persons affected by the disease.
