Cancer's Presence in the Third World

A recent article from the print edition of the economist highlights the effects of cancer on patients in third world developing countries. A lot of relief work and healthcare reform in third world countries focus on eradicating basic diseases like malaria, polio, vitamin deficiencies, and malnutrition. The unfortunate reality is that, “Cancer kills more people in poor countries than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined”. Cancer has been mankind’s kryptonite as of the 20^th and 21^st century. Even with an increase in awareness and financing of research, progress towards creating a remedy for the disease has been at a stand still. The article in the economist discusses the consequences of healthcare underdevelopment in other countries; “Many developing countries have no trained oncologists, let alone a treatment centre. Even where care is available, the sick often delay because they are poor or do not know that treatment is urgent. Some languages have no word for cancer.”

The amount of aid that goes toward cancer is also staggeringly low even though it claims more victims. Although the these developing countries struggle to finance cancer treatments or remedies, I believe that small investments into cancer treatments should be made no matter how impractical it is to implement a full on cancer treatment system. A surprising piece of information from the article discusses the Millennium Development Goals that we discussed in GPP 115; “Three of the Millennium Development Goals dealt with health, but none mentioned cancer”. Ultimately, it is up those philanthropists and NGO’s that are based in these third world countries to perhaps recognize that victims in cancer are in need of help. Unfortunately, the government is unable to provide them with much resources and they are inflicted with severe pain and distress. It’s an unfortunate cycle and we must be quick to recognize that it is in fact a growing problem in these countries.