By: Dawda Baldeh
At the start of an awareness campaign about liver cancer and its complications at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) in Banjul yesterday, health experts disclosed that liver cancer is the most common deadly cancer among Gambian men, killing at least three each week.
Speaking to journalists at yesterday’s campaign ceremony, Professor Ramou Njie, a liver specialist at the University of The Gambia, highlighted the importance of raising awareness about liver cancer, describing it as a deadly disease affecting all genders. She stressed the importance of mitigating liver cancer through proper medical procedures.
Prof. Nie also disclosed that over 950,000 liver cancer cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2020, of which 850,000 resulted in death. According to her, in The Gambia, liver cancer is a leading cause of death among men and the third leading cause among women. “Three Gambians are dying of liver cancer each week, and it is the most common among men,” she said.
Prof. Njie emphasized the importance of early vaccination to prevent the transmission of liver cancer, stating that early detection can significantly reduce the risk of death. “Most people die if they are hepatitis B positive, but not all. If we catch them early, the chances of survival will increase,” she added.
Prof. Njie stressed the importance of keeping records to help implement strong measures to track progress and challenges. “I looked at the cancer registry from about eight years ago, but we don’t have the means to enter chronic liver diseases. When you consider the deaths from cirrhosis and its complications, along with cancer, we have actually underestimated the number of deaths,” she explained.
Dr. Cherno Jallow, the Deputy Chief Medical Director at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, spoke the significance of the day and challenged health workers to lead the campaign. “This campaign is timely, and as health workers, we have a great role to play in saving lives,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sheikh Omar Bittaye also warned people to take liver cancer seriously to mitigate fatal outcomes. “Liver cancer doesn’t spare anyone, whether you are rich or poor,” he said, adding that no one is safe if everyone is not safe. “We have seen both rich and poor individuals, senior government officials, private citizens, and others dying from this disease. We have to take these measures seriously,” he added.
