HERAT, AFGHANISTAN – Authorities at the regional hospital in Herat say their records show a 30% increase in the number of cancer cases in the province. According to these officials, they have received 6500 cancer patients since the beginning of solar year (April 2023) which is 30% higher than last year.
Farooq Ahmad Sadiqi, head of the Oncology department at the regional hospital in Herat, said that the increase in cancer patients follows a trend that they have observed over several years now. expressed concern over the 30% increase in cancer cases, stating that in the past four years,
According to Sadiqi, during the past four years, at least 16,000 cancer patients have sought treatment at the Herat regional hospital. “According to the statistics we have, every year sees a 30% rise in the number of cancer patients, necessitating extensive research into this matter.”
While the Oncology department, or the cancer diagnosis centre in Herat, has 16 beds, officials in this department say that it needs to expand to 100 beds with facilities in chemotherapy, operating rooms, and radiotherapy.
According to the provincial data, breast cancer is the most common type among women while oesophageal cancer is prevalent among men.
Patients in Herat also complain about lack of sufficient services. Banafsheh, 32, who has been battling breast cancer for eight months now says she cannot afford treatment outside the country.,
“I can’t afford to go abroad, and even inside the country, our capabilities are not enough to self-treat. Coming from the village to the city is difficult, and the cost of treatment becomes very high for me.”
Yalda, another cancer patient seeking treatment said, “I have been suffering from this disease for two years. I am better now, but I wish there were better facilities to improve the health conditions of patients like us.”
Dr. Rasoul Hosseini, a cancer specialist says that while exercise and a healthy diet may not guarantee immunity from cancer, they can reduce the risk. “One of the issues that people do not take seriously is air pollution, which can double the risk of cancer. Another issue is exposure to radiation, which causes skin burns and makes a person susceptible to cancer.”
Air quality in Afghanistan has been deteriorating for years, caused by unhealthy heating and combustion practices as well as sandstorms and dust storms in western parts of the country such as Herat.
According to Dr. Hosseini, women are more vulnerable to various types of cancer, partly because of low immunity, and chronic anaemia.
Currently, there are three cancer diagnosis and treatment centres in Herat, Kabul, and Kandahar provinces. Earlier, Taliban health officials stated that 40,000 people in Afghanistan are diagnosed with cancer annually, and approximately 16,000 to 20,000 of them lose their lives to the disease.
