(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Report by Nasser Qdaih KUWAIT, Feb 3 (KUNA) -- Cost of medicines for treating cancer in Kuwait's health budget amounted to KD 23 million (USD 76 million) in the 2017-2018 period, said an official at the Ministry of Health on Saturday.
Value of the medicines for breast cancer has reached KD 6.1 million (USD 20.1), the most costly category, followed by the lymphatic and blood cancers (KD 4.9 million [USD 16.1 million]), said Abeer Mansour, director of the MoH medical stores in an interview with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
Colon cancer ranks below abovementioned segments with the cost of the drugs estimated at KD 1.2 million (USD 4.2 million), followed by prostate cancer, KD 618,362 thousand (USD 2.04 million).
Farah Dashti, manager of the medical engineering department, said cost of the diagnosis equipment stands at KD 1.6 million (USD six million).
For her part, Dr. Hadeel Al-Mutawae', deputy manager of Kuwait Center for Combating Cancer, said number of cancer patients in the country stands at 2,204 -- breakdown is: 1,058 citizens and 1,146 expatriates (according to the center 2013 figures).
Dr. Hanaa Al-Khawari, the head of the national program for cancer early detection, said recently, up to 142 Kuwaiti women were diagnosed with breast cancer.
Up to 11,100 Kuwaiti women have been examined, as part of the program, launched in 2014. Among 1,000 women, 11 were diagnosed with breast cancer.
Dr. Fahad Al-Ibrahim, the head of the early detection of colon cancer department at the MoH, said there has been a program in effect for early diagnosis since 2015.
Another specialist, Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh, deputy board chairman of the national campaign for promoting awareness of cancer (C.A.N.), said rates of cancer cases in Kuwait have increased, along with noticeable hike of treatment costs.
Cure proportion has reached 60 percent, along with some cases where it hit 90 percent.
As to lung cancer, he expressed his belief that the rates can be downgraded by quitting smoking. Breast cancer cases can be treated in early stages by a proportion of 80 percent, compared to 30 percent in late ones.
Dr. Nawal Al-G'oud, director of nutrition department at the ministry, recommends breast feeding and eating healthy as some of the natural means of minimize chances of developing cancer. She also warns against obesity, cardiac illnesses as well as stress as contributors to the disease. (end) ndq.rk
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