‘Close The Cancer Care Gap’ TOFAZA’s Brenda Chitindi
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TOFAZA Executive Director Brenda Chitindi
By Derrick Sinjela and Idah Muleya Chongo
Tobacco –Free Association of Zambia (TOFAZA) Executive Director Brenda Chitindi is urging Government to increase tobacco taxes and escalate funding at Cancer Hospital in in line with the Friday, 4th February, 2022 ‘CLOSE THE CARE GAP’ World Cancer Day theme.
Ms. Chitindi is pleading with the Zambia government to invest in comprehensive cancer control programmes including tobacco control to see greater benefits for everyone and fewer deaths from tobacco related cancers.
Ms. Chitindi is worried that tobacco consumption causes lung cancer, causes cancers of the mouth and throat, voice box, esophagus (throat) ], stomach, kidney, pancreas, liver, bladder, cervix, colon, rectum and an acute myeloid leukaemia.
“Comprehensive cancer control programmes must focus on reducing cancer risk detected early, improving cancer treatment, helping more people survive cancer, improving cancer survivors’ quality of life, and better assisting communities disproportionately impacted by cancer. Zambia must coordinate efforts preventing tobacco use and youth and young adults’ initiation, promote tobacco users to quit, eliminate second-hand smoke exposure.
Chitindi explains that people who quit tobacco cut their risk of lung cancer by 30% to 50% after 10 years compared to people consuming tobacco products, thus her urging governments in Zambia, Africa and Asia to increase tobacco taxes and annual budgetary allocation to cancer hospitals.
