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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and statistics show that an estimated one in eight women will have breast cancer in their lifetime. Regrettably too many of them may not know they have it until it’s too late, which is why early detection can be the difference between life and death. Doctors say early detection is vital since tumours can be picked when they are still as small as four to eight millimetres, ensuring treatment success.

While the month is dedicated solely to breast cancer, we feel other forms of cancer deserve attention as well. Many, even the well-heeled, who had the resources to access chemotherapy and radiotherapy, succumbed to cancer over the years. This makes us wonder what happens to the nameless and faceless members of society without recourse to resources.

While so much attention and resources have been channelled towards the fight against HIV and Aids, a development that saw us emerge as one of the success stories in Africa with an HIV prevalence rate of 13.9 percent, not much — it seems — has been done about the silent killer, cancer.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care indicate that 7 000 new cancer cases are reported annually and 60 percent of them, according to the Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry, are HIV related. Of these, only some 1 300 to 2 000 are treated with radiotherapy.

Worldwide, cancer is responsible for 7,6 million deaths, two thirds of which are recorded in low-middle income countries. A study published in the International Journal of Cancer indicated that cancer patients in Harare are not likely to survive five years after diagnosis at present levels of care, which is a greater call for action.

To this end, we feel it’s high time Government and other stakeholders seriously consider giving cancer as much attention as HIV and Aids. The authorities should consider a cancer levy that can help in setting up requisite cancer support services or to subsidise the cost of treatment.

The case for a cancer levy is made even stronger by recent revelations by the Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry that 60 percent of the cancer cases recorded in Zimbabwe are HIV related.

This is especially so given that the requisite medicines, technologies and services are not widely available and accessible due to their high cost, resulting in a lot of premature deaths each year.

Be that as it may we also urge lifestyle intervention since about 40 percent of some cancers can be prevented by adopting healthy life styles such as healthy diets (increased intake of fruits and vegetables), avoiding tobacco use (smoking, chewing and snuff) and reducing or avoiding alcohol consumption.

Screening which includes Pap Smears; Prostate Specific Antigens and Clinical Breast Examinations as well as counselling services must be made available at health centre and should even be offered for free as is done with chronic illnesses like tuberculosis.

We all have a role to play in ensuring that cancer is given the seriousness it deserves. To this end as part of our Cancer Awareness Campaign; as Zimpapers we have identified October 11, 2016 as “Takkie Day” when all Zimpapers staff will come to work dressed in their favourite takkies/sneakers.

The sneakers will be worn alongside normal corporate wear as a means of sending out a message that “it is time to be serious about Cancer.” The objective of this initiative is to launch the company’s Cancer Month initiative, in the wake of the MoU Zimpapers signed with Island Hospice that will see the Company promote cancer awareness as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Let’s all do our part to tame this silent killer.