By Anne Mugisa

AFRICAN women develop breast cancer on average 15 years earlier than their counterparts on other continents. This was revealed by South Africa’s first lady, Tobeka Madiba-Zuma, who is in Uganda on a campaign against breast cancer, rated the second biggest killer cancer among women after cervical cancer.

Mrs. Zuma, the vice-chairperson of a forum for African first ladies against breast and cervical cancer, said increasingly younger African women are getting the disease. The conference is organised by the Princess Nikky Onyeri Breast Cancer Foundation, founded by the Nigerian princess who survived cancer.

According to Mulago hospital, Ugandan breast cancer is more prevalent in women aged 30 to 40 years contrary to the rest of the world where it is most common among women above 40.

Mrs. Zuma and other activists want Uganda to commit more funds to the fight against cancer, including research. They said the disease is growing and often triggers off other cancers, complicating care and putting a burden on already inadequate resources.

As part of the campaign, doctors will carry out free breast checks at Imperial Royale Hotel today using a mobile mammogram. According to Dr. Michael Odida from the department of pathology in the medical school, the breast cancer incidence has been growing at an annual rate of 5%.

He said the trend has prompted the Ministry of Health to open up four regional cancer registries: in Gulu, Mbale, Mbarara and Jinja. Up to now, only Mulago had a breast cancer registry.

Lack of screening, diagnostic, treatment and palliative care in Uganda is complicating the management of the disease, noted Dr. Anthony Mboye, a commissioner in the health ministry. He blamed the growing incidences on the changing lifestyle, that increases exposure to estrogen hormones, and lack of access to information.

He noted that the situation in Uganda and other African countries is complicated by people seeking help too late.

Some 1.3 million cases of breast cancer are diagnosed globally yearly. In Africa, 20 new cases per 100,000 people are recorded and the rate is increasing.

Opening the conference, health minister Stephen Mallinga asked African governments to renew the commitments made to the prevention of cancer in Africa.

He said Uganda and other African governments must make substantial investments in cancer control programmes.

He also said cancer should be collectively recognised as a critical public health problem, alongside HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.