Cancer in Bahrain
During this year and previous years, I do not recall the number of funeral and condolence ceremonies that I attended for the people died in the Kingdom of Bahrain due to cancer. Bahrain people like the rest of the world's people live in fear and panic because of the spread of cancer which has become one of the most diseases that cause death after heart disease. It is very unfortunate to see people suffering of severe pain and dying because of this disease, which has become a nightmare for a large number of people in Bahrain.
Based on that, the Ministry of Health has recently announced that the mortality cases of cancer in the Kingdom of Bahrain has reached up to 3450 from the period of 2000 to 2015. The announcement has taken place during regular meeting of Bahrain Parliament Council when a member asked the minister of Health about many issues related to cancer disease in Bahrain.
The common questions and inquires raised by people of Bahrain such as is there a specialized body cooperating with the Ministry of Health to identify the causes of the spread of cancer? Was appropriate solutions developed to reduce it before infection? Is there a plan for the Ministry to establish a hospital that specializes in the latest systems, equipment and expertise to counter this deadly disease? How much is the annual increase of this disease? With this increase and its quality determined by an annual schedule starting from 2000 to 2015, showing the number of injuries, the ages of the injured, the number of recovery cases and the number of deaths?
First: With regard to the question about is there a specialized agency that is cooperating with the Ministry of Health to identify the causes of the spread of cancer? Was appropriate solutions developed to reduce it before infection?
The programs to combat and prevent cancer are one of the important global directions for most modern health systems, because of this social, human dimension and a large health and economic burden on governments. The Ministry of Health has sought over the past years in cooperation with international organizations, headed by the World Health Organization and the Executive Office of the Council. Health ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council states and the advisory body of the Gulf Center for Cancer Control in monitoring and recording cases of infection and reviewing the periodic reports issued about this disease and its causes, except that with regard to the reasons for the spread of this time It should be noted that there are about 200 different species of types of cancer, and there are no reasons for direct information for most of these species, but it can be summarized as the most important reasons known so far the most common and which are associated with increased rates of infection in adults.
On the other hand, the causes and factors for increasing rates of cancer in children are often unknown, except for a small percentage of cancer types in children that are linked to genetic causes. Also, some research links mothers' smoking regimens during pregnancy with increased rates of childhood cancer.
The medical services in Bahrain includes providing an early detection service for diseases through preventive, diagnostic and curative health services provided to citizens at the primary health care level, as this service is provided through examinations carried out in many specialized clinics and these checks are: early detection of breast cancer, Periodic examination for women, postpartum examination, clinic for healthy and early detection of risk factors, stop smoking clinic, specialized analyzes for the detection of prostate cancer, periodic examination for children from the age of two months to 18 years, health fitness check-up for work, physical fitness check-up Health care for new entrants to schools, universities and institutes, pre-marital examination.
Second: Is there a plan to establish a hospital specialized in the latest systems, equipment and expertise to confront this deadly disease? in this regard, the government has provided some ways and means of treatment for these patients and to achieve the Bahrain vision 2030, to establish a specialized center for the treatment of cancerous tumors equipped with the latest therapeutic techniques approved internationally to match the advanced global centers in the treatment of cancerous tumors, it has been approved to establish the National Center for Cancer Oncology at King Hamad University Hospital with an estimated value of about BD 31 million and a capacity of about 120 beds, it is hoped that the establishment of this center will constitute a quantum leap in the process of developing health care and necessary medical services set by the rational leadership, with the aim of providing the best possible health services to citizens, which is in line with the Kingdom's 2030 vision In providing the necessary treatments for oncology patients who are citizens and residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain, who will need to send them abroad to conduct early cancer detection and treatment tests, which will make the Kingdom among the developed countries.
On the other hand, the ministry is currently through the Center for Oncology Treatment at the Salmaniya Medical Complex to treat and follow up cases affected by this disease, and the center includes a number of consultants, specialists and nurses who specialize in this field, and also supports this center and in cases that require surgical intervention in the compound's surgical department, in addition to send patients for treatment in specialized centers abroad, if necessary.
Third: How much is the annual increase of this disease? With this increase and its quality determined by a timetable starting from 2000 to 2015, it shows the number of injuries, the ages of the injured, the number of recovery cases and the number of deaths.
Statistics indicate that 7250 new cases of cancer were diagnosed among the Bahraini population between January 2000 and December 2014 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, of which 3331 (45.9%) were males and 3919 (54.1%) were females with an annual average of 483 cases annually. The average annual overall incidence of cancer was 86.4 per 100,000 Bahraini males and 103.0 per 100,000 Bahraini females. The annual standard age range was 135.1 and 137.2 for every 100,000 Bahraini male and female, respectively. The frequencies and incidence rates show cancer in Bahraini males and females.
In general, there was a noticeable decrease in the standard age of Bahraini males over a period of 15 years. On the other hand, the standard life expectancy of Bahraini females did not change significantly during the same period. However, a significant increase in cancer was observed for both sexes with age.
In general, new cases of cancer were diagnosed among the Bahraini population during a period of 15 years (January 2000 and December 2014) as follows: (1568 cases) of breast cancer, (697 cases) of colon and rectal cancer, (696 cases) of lung cancer, (369 cases) of lymphatic cancer - non-Hodgkin's (333 cases) of leukemia, and the total of these cases represents more than half of the total cancer burden. The most common cancers in Bahrainis between 2000 and 2014 are lung cancer among Bahraini males (506 new cases), followed by colon, prostate and bladder cancer, and lymphoma - non-Hodgkin. Breast cancer was the most common among Bahraini females with (1545 new cases) followed by cancer Colon, ovary, lung, and thyroid gland. With regard to deaths from cancer in the period from (2000 to 2015), there were (3450) deaths among Bahrainis due to cancer, with an average of about 230 deaths annually, of which 1839 (53.3%) were cases for males, and 46,161 (46). 7%) female.
No one can deny that cancer in Bahrain is prevalent not by a few, as are the neighboring countries, and it cannot also be denied that efforts have been made and are still being made in order to eliminate this disease and provide the necessary treatment to patients and there are some things that decision-makers should put in their mind such as the need for an accurate planning and prioritization in the use of resources for the purpose of carry out effective activities to reduce the burden of cancer, provide financial support for studies, research, and building relevant laboratories to encourage students to do the necessary analyzes to find more effective drugs than the ones currently available. Acknowledging the importance of adequate funding for cancer prevention and control programs, especially for the people with limited income and encouraged by the potential offered by the partnerships established with international and national organizations in the framework of The Global Cancer Alliance, and other bodies such as patient organizations;