DAKAR, Senegal — Cancer in Africa often takes a backseat to fast-spreading communicable diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. However, alarming incidences of insufficient care are coming out of Senegal.
In 2013, Human Rights Watch released a report describing the struggle that thousands of Senegalese cancer patients face: lack of palliative care. Frequent shortages of morphine and strict government regulations on the drug are much to blame for the unacceptable agony that plagues Senegalese citizens with chronic diseases.
The HRW report shared an alarming fact: “Senegal only imports about one kilogram of morphine each year — enough to treat about 200 cancer patients,” and that morphine is only available in the capital city of Dakar. In 2013, the Senegalese government planned to have morphine pills imported by the end of the year.
However, a year later, not much has changed. The Guardian reports that government regulations continue to prevent doctors from writing prescriptions for morphine. Additionally, “more people die of cancer than malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS put together,” which indicates an overwhelming need for palliative drugs.
A 2012 report released by the American Cancer Society states that cancer is typically diagnosed at advanced stages, due to insufficient screening and detection measurements. Thus, survival rates are dismal. Not only does late-stage diagnosis damage survival, but inadequate access to affordable treatment decreases the odds as well.
While morphine is a relatively inexpensive drug, The Guardian describes a cyclical issue that doctors and the government perpetuate: the government orders morphine based on the need for it, which is reported by doctors, though doctors have refrained from prescribing it because they find that it is often unavailable in pharmacies and they are concerned about addiction. Consequentially, “there is no evidence for increased demand” from the government, which leaves thousands of patients in extreme pain with no relief.
The Guardian also reports that the majority of children who suffer from cancer in Senegal never receive treatment in a hospital. Those who do may receive chemotherapy, but are not provided with pain-relief drugs for the discomfort caused by both the treatment and the cancer. As a result, some patients leave the hospital rather than pay the bills with no relief in return.
The ACS reported “50 percent of HIV deaths and 80 percent of cancer deaths require pain treatment lasting an average of three months; the amount of morphine needed for these deaths alone is approximately 6,413 kilograms” in sub-Saharan Africa alone. In 2008, only 639 kilograms of morphine and drugs of equal pain-relieving strength were received by all sub-Saharan countries combined. Clearly, restructuring of government and health care systems was necessary six years ago and continues to be a severe problem today.
The ACS has set its focus on reducing incidence of cancer to begin with by discouraging tobacco throughout Africa. Additionally, The American Cancer Society gives its support to the Global Access to Pain Relief Initiative (GAPRI.) GAPRI, established in 2009, aims to “make pain relief accessible to all cancer patients by 2020” by partnering with governments in sub-Saharan Africa.
Sources: Cancer, The Guardian, Human Rights Watch
Photo: VOA News