DEPUTY Minister of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Dr JohnMangwiro has urged men to adopt a culture of getting checked for prostate cancer so as to improve the risk of developing severe cancer due to late diagnosis and treatment.
By Patricia Mashiri
According available data, men have a poor health seeking behavior and most men present late for cancer screening hence reducing their survival chances.
Speaking during a virtual meeting on fighting prostate cancer, Dr John Mangwiro advised health experts to scale up cancer awareness on what causes prostate cancer and how to manage it when one has the disease as there is no much knowledge in people.
Seeing a doctor feels expensive but it is much better as it avoids a lot of disasters in the making. It is better to get to know the nature of your disease before it spreads and its too late so that one can get help on how to manage it.
“I am challenging health experts together with Ministry of Health and Child Care so that we do awareness campaigns to make people know about prostate cancer. This way, we can be able to reduce the non-communicable disease burden,” said Dr Mangwiro.
He added that in pandemic times like the COVID-19 there was need for innovations like e-hospitals where messages and awareness campaigns are made online to avoid the spread of diseases.
“As we talk about the COVID-19 let’s not forget other diseases including the non- communicable diseases like cancer such that there will be no gap left.”
Meanwhile Dr Shingirirai Meki, a Consultant and Specialist Urologist said there was need for men to get checked for prostate cancer as it mainly shows no symptoms at its early stages.
“Screening exams may detect prostate cancer before it spreads and when it is treatable. The protein Specific Antigen Testing commonly referred to as PSA is a blood test that can help detect prostate cancer. Similarly, a digital rectal exam referred to DRE is part of the prostate screening.
“Prostate cancer is more popular in aging men therefore if you have a family history of prostate cancer, one needs to get checked at least starting at the age of 45,” said Dr Meki.
He added that signs that one might have prostate cancer are incomplete bladder emptying, frequent urination at night, weak or intermittent urine system, blood urine and constant urge to urinate.
Prostate cancer occurs more often in the Black race and African American men and in Zimbabwe, statistics shows that it is the most common cancer in men.
Mitchelle Madzudzo, the Founder of Talk Cancer Zim said eating patterns which have always been constantly changing are some of the risk factors to prostate cancer.
“People now consume foods rich in animal fat and protein, energy dense snack food, carbonated sweetened beverages which usually lead into obesity. Obesity is associated with increased risk of cancers such as prostate, breast uterine, kidney, colon and esophagus. Frequency, duration and quantity that increases the risk,” said Madzudzo.
Meanwhile, Dr Nomsa Tsikai, an Oncologist said prostate cancer was preventable and curable if discovered at its early stages.
“Exercise is needed with proper diet to prevent prostate cancer. There is need for frequent ejaculation although it is still conflicting. I also urge men to get regular screening especially if you have risk factors,” she said.
About one man in eight is diagnosed with prostate cancer and it is more likely to develop in older men.
