09 Feb 2025

About 1, 277 people in Botswana lose their lives to cancer each year, cervical cancer contributing significantly to these numbers.

The Minister of Sport and Arts, Mr Jacob Kelebeng, revealed this in his keynote address at the World Cancer Commemoration Day in Takatokwane recently.

He disclosed that the estimated cancer prevalence in Botswana was 6, 644, with an annual occurrence of 2, 317 new cases and 1, 277 cancer-related deaths.

He said cervical cancer continued to be the most common disease diagnosed in the nation and, regrettably, the top cause of cancer-related deaths.

Mr Kelebeng, who is also the MP for Takatokwane constituency, added that breast cancer came second as most commonly diagnosed cancer, followed by Kaposi sarcoma and prostate cancers.

All of these cancers could be prevented through early identification, treatment, and management, he stated.

He also indicated that approximately 20 million new cancer cases were reported in the 2022 Global Cancer Observatory report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), with 9.7 million individuals succumbing to the illness globally.

He indicated that by 2050, the forecast was that cancer cases will rise to 35 million based on the projected population growth.

Mr Kelebeng said theme for this year’s commemoration, ‘United by Unique,’ acknowledged that everyone had unique needs, perspective, and stories to share and it aimed to create a world where people were seen as individuals, not just patients.

He called on everyone to unite and bring about a transformation in cancer care in Botswana.

Mr Kelebeng said adopting a healthy lifestyle could combat Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and urged everyone to begin exercising to maintain an active body and consume a nutritious diet.

He stated that prevention was more effective than treatment, emphasising that certain cancers could be avoided through methods like immunisation against Human Papillomavirus and viral hepatitis B.

He encouraged everyone to consistently monitor their blood pressure, blood sugar levels, Body Mass Index (BMI), and cholesterol levels, and to undergo screening for cervical, breast, and prostate cancers to ensure better management of these conditions.

WHO Country Representative and Officer-In-Charge, Dr Juliet Bataringaya warned that if immediate measures were not taken, cancer-related deaths in Africa could surge by over 70 per cent  by 2040.

She highlighted  that in the African Region, over 900, 000 new cancer cases and more than 580, 000 deaths were reported in 2022 alone, demonstrating that the disease continued to represent a significant and pressing health challenge throughout the continent.

For her part, the head of the Letlhakeng District Health Management Team, Dr Chawangwa Letsholathebe, indicated that estimates showed cancers accounted for 20 per cent of premature deaths caused by NCDs.

She emphasised that addressing cancer burden necessitated a combination of public health and healthcare system interventions.

She stated that cancer has a higher chance of responding to effective treatment when detected early.

Dr Letsholathebe noted that enhancing screening, early diagnosis, and ensuring timely treatment would significantly improve survival rates. ENDS