VietNamNet Bridge - For developing countries in the period of rapid industrial development like Vietnam, the increase in the number of cancer cases appears to be a byproduct of fast growth.

Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of Lancet, a UK-based medicine journal, speaking at the 2016 Healthcare Asia Forum, warned that the majority of liver and stomach cancer cases in the world are from Asia. 

The continent will be the origin of 58 percent of total cancer cases of the world by 2020.

Donald Maxwell Parkin from Oxford University thinks that 65 percent of cancer cases will be from Asia by 2050.

Pham Gia Khai, chair of the Vietnam Heart Association, commented that the warning for Asia is also a warning for Vietnam, which means that Vietnam will face a high risk for an increase in cancer cases. 

Experts have every reason to believe that the number of cancer cases would be increasing in Asia. The strong economic development in the region, which is associated with changes in pollution, will lead to an increase in some types of cancer.

Experts have every reason to believe that the number of cancer cases would be increasing in Asia. The strong economic development in the region, which is associated with changes in pollution, will lead to an increase in some types of cancer.

In Vietnam, the number of cancer cases in the last 15 years has increased by twofold from 69,000 to 150,000. It is estimated that every year the country would see 200,000 new cancer cases in the next five years. About 115,000 people die of cancer a year, or 315 people a day. 

Khai said unsafe food and pollution are the major reasons behind the increased cancer cases. K Hospital (the nation’s leading hospital in charge of treating cancer diseases) affirmed that the number of cancer cases is on the rise. 

Vietnamese have been facing an unsafe food problem over the last five years. The chemicals used to protect fruits from getting rotten are toxic to human health. 

Meanwhile, farmers use plant protection chemicals immoderately in cultivation. People have to breathe polluted air, especially in large cities such as Hanoi and HCMC.

“I cannot say what position Vietnam is among the countries with most polluted environment, but I am sure the position is high,” he said.

In the UK, thevRhine River once was known as a polluted river which caused lung diseases to locals. Later, when the government asked to change the production line of the factory, the river turned clean again and the percentage of lung patients decreased rapidly.

Khai affirmed that if state agencies have strong determination, they will be able to ease the problem.

Some years ago, people sneered at the government’s decision that all motorbike drivers had to wear a helmet, saying that the instruction would be ignored by people. 

However, contrary to all predictions, the instruction has been followed, thus helping ease the number of accidents.

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