Busia Health officials have raised concerns over the tendency by local residents to visit health facilities for cancer check-ups when the disease is at an advanced stage.

Director Medical Services, Dr. Janerose Ambuchi said residents are losing lives due to delayed testing yet the disease can be treated when detected at an early stage.

Dr. Ambuchi said that as the world marks Breast Cancer awareness month, the County Government is conducting a screening exercise at the Busia County Referral Hospital for both health staff and other patients.

“It is the responsibility of the local residents to visit health facilities to know their cancer status so as to be put on treatment once the disease is detected,” stressed the director, while addressing journalists in Busia town.

She at the same time implored men to come out in large numbers for screening, adding that some are also infected by breast cancer despite the perception that it only affects women.

“Cervical cancer is the most common followed by oesophagus and breast cancer of which men are also infected. We encourage men to go for testing just like women,” she added.

She also urged residents to embrace traditional foods for purposes of preventing themselves from contracting the disease which is also caused by eating foods that have a lot of chemicals.

780 cases of cancer were recorded in Busia County during the 2018/2019 financial year and 718 cases in 2019/2020 respectively.

Photo: Dr Janerose Ambuchi and First Lady Judy Ojaamong join the Cancer campaign march in a past event.

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