Let us throw prostate cancer out
Nov 05, 2018
Statistics from the Uganda cancer institute show that 40 of 1000 men develop prostate cancer every year and only 46 % of these survive at the end of five years.
HEALTH
In order to involve every one across the country on the prostate cancer awareness, the Uganda Cancer Institute in partnership with the team spearheading the Movember campaign, UMC Victoria Hospital and the cancer communique have embarked on a campaign programme to educate more individuals about the disease this month.
Statistics from the Uganda cancer institute show that 40 of 1000 men develop prostate cancer every year and only 46 % of these survive at the end of five years.
Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It is one of the commonest types of cancer among men, especially those aged 40 years and above.
Speaking at the launch of the Movember Uganda prostate cancer campaign, Dr Edrin Jjuko, the chief medical officer at UMC Victoria Hospital, emphasised that age is one of the risk factors for this type of cancer.
"One of the key driving factors for the Movember Uganda prostate cancer campaign is the fact compared to Caucasian men, black men are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer in their early 50's and twice as likely to die of the disease.
Many men across the country lose their lives because they pay very little attention to the cancer. We are calling upon all our brothers to come and test this month for free at UMC Hospital," noted Jjuko.
He also noted that women to play a major role by convincing men to go for frequent prostate cancer screening.
Addressing journalists, Matthew Kabalenga, a cancer awareness advocate from cancer communique noted that during their outreaches they have realised that prostate cancer is on the rise.
"We usually visit different hospitals that offer cancer treatment, but we found out that the disease is on the rise and usually people discover it when it is in its last stage.
We are advising fellow men to run to the hospital when they experience a slow flow of urine, pain in ejaculations, blood in either urine or semen and sudden desire to urinate," he noted.
Under the theme "Grow the Mo.Support a Bro" the organisers are hopeful that they are going to get hundreds of men to screen for prostate cancer and increase awareness of the disease.
Dr Jain Vikas, an Oncology surgeon at UMC Victoria Hospital, cleared the wrong insight by stating that prostate cancer does not cause a decrease in sexual libido it is the treatment that cause loss of interest in sex.
"Some people think men who usually do not have sex are prone to prostate cancer, but that is a lie.
Even with prostate cancer, you can still have interest in sex but when you start the treatment, the urge for sex goes down.
If you ever had a close family member most probably a father, brother or uncle who has ever suffered from the cancer before, your chances of getting the disease are high," Vikas noted.
Movember is an annual global drive to raise funds and awareness for men's health which started in Australia in 2003. In this campaign, men were encouraged to grow a moustache as a sign of unity against prostate cancer.
To further spread awareness on prostate Cancer, the Movember campaign will also feature group jogging sessions for two Mondays of the months dubbed the #Movember Monday RUN" to rally more men to take individual responsibility and get tested.
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