Cancer among children worries health experts

HEALTH|CANCER|CHILDREN|UCI

Health experts have expressed concern over the rate at which children with cancer are abandoning their care and treatment.

A senior Consultant and Head of Pediatric Oncology at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), Dr. Joyce Balagadde, has said, adding that children come and go away which is dangerous because it leads to drug resistance.

Dr Balaggadde explained that between 30-40% of the children who attend treatment at the UCI do not come back after their first treatment.

She noted that the cause of this is mainly discrimination from the family members especially  children's fathers, who usually give up on the mothers.

According to Balaggade, 2000 children who report with cancer at the UCI annually, only 500 of these are treated with the disease at the institute and the majority of remain in the community.

"Lack of support especially to mothers who are even chased away by family members calling the disease a curse in the clan," Balaggade said.

Although UCI gives treatment and food to the UCI parents at times what to have their owner money.

Statistics indicate that 400,000 children worldwide are reported to be affected by cancer, 40% are in Africa and 50% do not reach doctors. 

However, in Uganda, 70% do not see a doctor because their parents kept them at home purporting that they are bewitched.

"Parents delay at home because of cultural beliefs, they think their children are bewitched, while others are scared of continuing with medicine," She said, adding that abandoning treatment and stopping medication causes drug resistance and reduces on chances of survival.

Balagadde explained that some parents are scared of continuing with medicine after the first doze since they suspect that their children will die after they have spent a lot of money on them.

The executive director UCI, Dr Jackson Orem, explained that cancer medication for children should be availed to children, adding that most resources are given to adults.

"A lot has to be down not to leave the children out on cancer treatment since they can be cured," Orem said.