Ibarra, March 26, 2023
The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) presented, this Sunday, the National Day Against Cancer in the Ciudad Blanca park in Ibarra, Imbabura province. Strategic initiative that seeks to add actions with the entire population to assume healthy lifestyles that prevent disease.
At the same time, this State Portfolio strengthens the correct diagnosis and timely treatment, at the various levels of care and complexity of the National Health System with the incorporation of specialized personnel and equipment. This year, $20 million dollars will be invested for the prevention, early detection, and initial management of cervical, uterine, breast, prostate, and colon cancer. In addition, the prevention of diabetes and hypertension.
The Minister of Health, José Ruales, pointed out among the preventive actions the recent acquisition of 40,000 HPV molecular tests for women between 30 and 40 years of age. “Since January we began the detection of the human papilloma virus that causes uterine cancer, an effective test that is very similar to the COVID-19 test,” he said.
Among other issues, he reported that 9,600 specialists will be hired, colposcopes and colonoscopes will be provided, and laboratories will be repowered to improve care in type C health centers and hospitals. He affirmed that the interest of the National Government is to recover all health services because 30% of deaths from cancer can be prevented with joint actions, “we do not want more women from various corners of the country to die from uterine cancer,” he said.
Likewise, it encouraged vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in 9-year-old girls and invited men over 50 to have a PSA blood test to find out if there is a risk of prostate cancer.
“The purchase for the supply of medicines for catastrophic and oncological diseases is guaranteed,” he pointed out, while insisting on avoiding the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
The event took place within the framework of the commemoration of the International Day for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer and welcomed hundreds of citizens in the well-known “White City”, included a health fair and dance therapy; attention in general medicine, performance of tests such as papanicolaou and mammography. As well as prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests in men; vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Hepatitis (HB) and Covid 19.
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