Launching of the Belize Cancer Registry

"AN INVINCIBLE ALLIANCE AGAINST CANCER!"

Belize City - 20 November, 2007

On Wednesday 21 st November at 2.00 p.m. at the Belize Cancer Society Building on Mercy Lane in Belize City , the Belize Cancer Registry will be launched as part of "An Invincible Alliance Against Cancer." 

The Cancer Registry which will be a collaborative effort among key healthcare providers and stakeholders will be officially launched by Hon. Jose Coye , Minister of Health, Dr. Beverley Barnett, PAHO PWR, Dr. Alba Mendez Sosa, President of the Belize Cancer Society and Dr. Beatriz Thompson, Ag. President of the Belize Medical and Dental Association.

The objective is to develop a population-based cancer registry for Belize as part of a Comprehensive Cancer Control Programme which includes Surveillance, Screening (including early diagnosis), Therapy, and Palliative Care.

The main purpose of the Belize Cancer Registry is to maintain a file or registry on all cancer cases occurring within Belize . General information regarding patients, clinical and pathological characteristics of the cancers, will be collected continuously and systematically from various sources, and documented in a format designed specifically for the registration of cancers. The registry will provide data for analysis, information to promote research, cancer prevention, early diagnosis and effective treatment.

In Belize , cancer is responsible for more than 12% of all deaths every year! Statistics indicate that number of cancer deaths is increasing.  Cancer therapy is extremely limited in Belize , with most patients having to access treatment abroad, at catastrophic costs to themselves and their families. A key issue is the lack of information on cancer which is necessary to lobby for resources, and to plan a coordinated response.

At the moment the Belize Health System identifies only about 36 to 40 cases each year - usually when the cancer has progressed to a stage where it is difficult to treat. The World Health Organization estimates that the average number of new cases of cancer each year in populations similar to Belize should be approximately 143 for every 100,000 population - the implication is that the Belize Health System may be simply missing many of these cases. 

Source: Ministry of Health, Local Government, Transport and Communication