Ghana records 28,000 new cancer cases annually, 18,000 deaths
via GhanaWeb2 min read
Professor Benedict Calys-Tagoe, Head of the Department of Community Health at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, has revealed that Ghana records approximately 28,000 new cancer cases each year, resulting in nearly 18,000 deaths. He expressed concern over the increasing number of cases, particularly among young people, noting that cancers previously associated with the elderly are now being diagnosed in individuals as young as 21. Professor Calys-Tagoe highlighted the severity of the situation by comparing the annual cancer deaths to about 300 fully loaded VIP buses crashing with all passengers dying. He also mentioned that global health trends indicate a decline in infectious diseases but a significant rise in non-communicable diseases like cancer, driven by urbanization, globalization, and lifestyle changes, a trend Ghana is also experiencing. The World Health Organization defines cancer as a group of diseases where abnormal cells grow uncontrollably and spread, identifying it as the second leading cause of death worldwide.
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