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Cancer death rate on rise in China
By Cai Wenjun |
September 10, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S death rate due to cancer increased by 80 percent in the past 30 years, officials from the Ministry of Health told a Canada-China Health Policy Dialogue in Shanghai yesterday.
Unhealthy diet, tobacco use and lack of physical exercise are the main reasons for the rise, officials told the meeting of health ministers and health officials from both countries.
Each year, the nation sees 2.6 million new cancer cases and 1.8 million deaths.
Four non-communicable diseases - cancer, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease and respiratory disease - are responsible for about 80 percent of deaths in the nation.
The growth of elderly population, rise of people with diabetes, hypertension and obesity contribute to the high incidence of non-communicable diseases, disabilities and deaths, the meeting was told.
Kong Lingzhi, deputy director of Bureau of Disease Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Health, said that China recognizes the importance of earlier prevention and treatment, early intervention to deter people with unhealthy lifestyles, and doctors' role as health educators.
"Developed countries like the United States and Japan have introduced such measures and saw good results with dropping incidence of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases," Kong said. "China will also transfer the medical format from focusing on treatment to disease prevention and the community hospitals will take the major responsibility."
Officials also discussed control of swine flu. Since May 2009, the mainland has reported 128,085 cases of swine flu with 805 deaths.
But the disease's spread is at a low level, and the nation is unlikely to see a large-scale swine-flu outbreak, officials said.
About 100 million Chinese in the mainland have received swine flu vaccinations. Studies found that one fourth of the population has gained immunity against the virus.
"We are closely monitoring the virus mutation and drug-resistance situation," said Liang Wannian, director of Office of Health Emergency under the Ministry of Health.
"There is still possibility of outbreak in certain small-scale areas or among certain group of people. A big outbreak also could take place if the virus mutates."
Unhealthy diet, tobacco use and lack of physical exercise are the main reasons for the rise, officials told the meeting of health ministers and health officials from both countries.
Each year, the nation sees 2.6 million new cancer cases and 1.8 million deaths.
Four non-communicable diseases - cancer, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease and respiratory disease - are responsible for about 80 percent of deaths in the nation.
The growth of elderly population, rise of people with diabetes, hypertension and obesity contribute to the high incidence of non-communicable diseases, disabilities and deaths, the meeting was told.
Kong Lingzhi, deputy director of Bureau of Disease Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Health, said that China recognizes the importance of earlier prevention and treatment, early intervention to deter people with unhealthy lifestyles, and doctors' role as health educators.
"Developed countries like the United States and Japan have introduced such measures and saw good results with dropping incidence of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases," Kong said. "China will also transfer the medical format from focusing on treatment to disease prevention and the community hospitals will take the major responsibility."
Officials also discussed control of swine flu. Since May 2009, the mainland has reported 128,085 cases of swine flu with 805 deaths.
But the disease's spread is at a low level, and the nation is unlikely to see a large-scale swine-flu outbreak, officials said.
About 100 million Chinese in the mainland have received swine flu vaccinations. Studies found that one fourth of the population has gained immunity against the virus.
"We are closely monitoring the virus mutation and drug-resistance situation," said Liang Wannian, director of Office of Health Emergency under the Ministry of Health.
"There is still possibility of outbreak in certain small-scale areas or among certain group of people. A big outbreak also could take place if the virus mutates."
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