Editorial»
Slow poison
AUG 30 -
Cancer is not preventable. Diabetes is not preventable. Heart disease is not preventable. Doctors and medical researchers are still not sure of their exact causes. But one thing they are sure of is that a majority of the population can lessen their chances of developing fatal cases of these ailments by making simple lifestyle changes and getting regular medical check-ups. Which is why the increasing occurrence of non-communicable diseases in Nepal is a frustrating fact that points to, among other things, a lack of awareness.
In Nepal, it is reported that causalities from communicable diseases are going down while the mortality rate from non-communicable diseases (NCD)—cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases—are on the rise. Changes in lifestyle have increased the public’s exposure to modifiable environmental causes of these diseases—increased alcohol use, smoking, and poor diet. Compound this with their typically slow progression and lack of initial symptoms and it is not wholly surprising that their prevalence is increasing. The good news is, if these diseases are identified early, their treatment is often manageable and may require only limited medical attention. For example, excessive dizziness, blurred vision, headache and nausea are signs of high-blood pressure, which, if left unaddressed is a precursor to chronic renal failure and heart disease. However, identified early, simple dietary changes may be able to halt or even reverse the effects of the emergent disease. But unfortunately, many Nepalis don’t seek medical attention until the disease has fully physically manifested itself, which is often too late.
In the case of breast cancer, also on the rise in Nepal, the best protection is early detection. But the tools used to medically diagnose breast cancer—mammograms and biopsies—may be too expensive for a majority of the population to include into regular health check-ups, if they are undertaken at all. And for women, social taboos and embarrassment present additional hurdles proactively diagnose the disease. But for the majority of breast cancer cases, women can use regular, monthly, self-exams to identify changes in breast tissue or abnormal lumps that are often indicators of breast cancer, enabling them to forego comprehensive medical tests until they identify a potential threat themselves. Regular self-examinations also tend to catch the disease in its earliest stages, increasing the success of treatment and recovery. But without knowledge of this simple, private, preventative tool, women who develop breast cancer aren’t aware of its presence until advanced stages of the disease—almost 80 percent of the Nepali cases are in the advanced stages. One more thing to consider: NCDs, although slow to manifest serious symptoms, often last longer and cost more to treat, especially when caught in the later stages of development. The impact of these types of diseases on the already suffering health infrastructure are immense, something that calls for greater efforts dedicated to their early detection and treatment.
Posted on: 2010-08-31 09:08
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