More women than men are being diagnosed with cancer in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Lackram Bodoe, shared statistics on the incidence of cancer as he addressed the opening ceremony of the 13th Caribbean Association of Oncology & Haematology Foundation’s Conference in Port of Spain on Friday.
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, while approximately one in five people develop cancer in their lifetime, men are more likely to be diagnosed and die than women.
Minister Bodoe shared statistics which puts Trinidad and Tobago at odds.
“According to the 2003 to 2020 cancer report, over 43,380 individuals were diagnosed with cancer: 49% male, 51% female. The burden of this disease is felt most acutely in our adult population, with 97.9% of those diagnosed being over the age of 25.”
The Health Minister said data is being gathered through the Dr. Elizabeth Quamina Cancer Registry, which serves as the national cancer registry of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as from the government health sector and civil society.
“We are seeing not only a rising incidence but also a concerning increase in mortality. In 2020, Trinidad and Tobago recorded its highest cancer incidence with 3,225 new cases.”
Dr. Bodoe indicated that the government is committed to expanding the local cancer facilities to ensure that everyone has equal access to care.
“The National Oncology Centre, the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, remains high on this government’s agenda. This state-of-the-art facility, when completed, will offer PET/CT scanning, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, brachytherapy, and ongoing professional development opportunities.”
Local, regional, and international health practitioners are participating in the three-day regional conference, which is underway in Port of Spain.