Health Minister: Constant Rise In Cancer Cases In Jordan

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, Sept. 12 (Petra)-- health Minister Firas Al-Hawari, said that the annual cost of cancer treatment is at least JD350 million. He also noted that the country's cancer case rate has been rising at a pace of forty percent since 2015.
He emphasized that smoking is one of the main causes of the rise in cancer cases in the Kingdom and that immediate action must be taken to stop this rise in cancer cases during a press briefing on the "National Cancer Registry - Information and Facts" held at the Ministry of government Communications' headquarters on Thursday evening in the presence of the Minister of Government Communications and Government Spokesperson Muhannad Mubaideen.
Al-Hawari noted that there are 8,000 cancer cases in Jordan each year and predicted that the country's cancer case rate will surpass 50% in the next years.
He pointed out that the proportion of female smokers has more than doubled between 2004 and 2019 and that women are now experiencing a notably higher rate of cancer cases.
He emphasized that smoking rates in Jordan have grown out of control and that action must be taken right now to curb the habit. He also mentioned that the expense of cancer treatment in 2030 will be more than JD500 million.
He clarified that the government is running a campaign against different stores, pointing out that 10–15% of the closures were smoke shops near schools. He added that comprehensive health care will cover early identification and treatment programs for tobacco addiction.
He mentioned that 27% of smokers have given up, and that 28 clinics are available to treat tobacco addiction across the Kingdom's governorates.
According to Al-Hawari, the national register, which was unveiled last week, revealed some crucial and unsettling information about cancer.
He added: "What we have noticed is a steady increase in cancer diseases using accurate statistical methods to determine this increase since 2015, and it has taken a different curve than it was in the past."
He emphasized that smoking is the primary cause of 40% of cancer cases and that the Ministry of Health is striving to enforce the Public Health Law and outlaw smoking in public areas and on campuses.
As a result of the development of new medicines, the cost of treating lung cancer has climbed thrice between 2004 and 2024, according to Al-Hawari.
According to him, there are 166 cancer cases per 100,000 males in Jordan, compared to 149 occurrences per 100,000 females.
As part of the national strategy to battle tobacco and smoking in all its forms, Mubaideen responded that the Cabinet had decided to raise the price on smoking today. He emphasized that the government will not hesitate to take any decision that serves the interests of the citizen and his health.
He noted that the decision to lower gasoline car taxes and gradually raise the taxes on more expensive electric car segments was made in response to an economic imbalance. Specifically, the goal was to close the difference between the special tax on electric vehicles and other types of vehicles while keeping the special tax on electric vehicles lower than the tax on other alternative vehicles.
Mubaideen provided confirmation of the recent parliamentary elections, saying that Jordan was able to hold them successfully despite the unstable environment, "and we have achieved our goals with the presence of a large percentage of party representatives in the twentieth parliament." He also praised the efforts of the Independent Election Commission, which oversaw and carried out the elections, and affirmed that they were conducted on schedule and without any problems.

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