More than 400,000 children have cancer in Sudan

11/09/2016 10:03 KHARTOUM

The number of cancer cases among children in Sudan has risen to more than 400,000, says the General Coordinator of the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Khartoum.
Dr Ahmed El Sheikh reported on Thursday that the number of cancer cases in the country is still rising.
He attributed the increase to the use of potassium bromide in bread, and the growing environmental pollution, including contaminated drinking water, brought about by industrial waste, expired pesticides and fertilisers, and the lack of an adequate sewage system.

The number of cancer cases among children in Sudan has risen to more than 400,000, says the General Coordinator of the Children's Cancer Hospital in Khartoum.

Dr Ahmed El Sheikh reported on Thursday that the number of cancer cases in the country is still rising.

He attributed the increase to the use of potassium bromide in bread, and the growing environmental pollution, including contaminated drinking water, brought about by industrial waste, expired pesticides and fertilisers, and the lack of an adequate sewage system.

The oncologist described the children cases as “tragic”, because there are no early detection centres. “It is hard to treat children suffering from advanced cancer.”

On 1 September, the Sudanese Ministry of Health announced the results of a survey about the number of cancer cases in the country.

The survey, conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), revealed that 11,893 cases of cancer were recorded between 2009 and 2013. Breast cancer scored the highest rate, with 6,809 cases, followed by prostate cancer, leukaemia, lymphatic cancer, and rectal cancer.