Youths Advised Against Illegal Drugs

By Alusine Sesay
Reverend Mohamed Kamara of the Wesleyan Church has advised young people to be mindful of the dangers of cigarette smoking and use of illegal drugs.
Rev. Kamara made this call during a LIVESTRONG sensitization programme at Old Railway Line, Wellington on Friday.
The occasion attracted young and old people in the community including the tribal head, Yabom Poro.
Reverend Kamara, who was Chairman of the occasion, said many young people in Sierra Leone are at risk of exposing themselves to ill health especially cancer, if steps are not taken to seriously inform them about the dangers of cigarette smoking and exposure to illegal drugs.
He said the action by the organization, Rowaca Cancer Group, to reach out to the grassroots is a welcome move as educating poor and vulnerable people about cancer will save lives in the community.
He said he accepted the offer to be chairman of the occasion because he has faith in the team leader and the drive the organization is taking.
“I hoped stakeholders will see the need to put into place policies that will address issues bothering on cancer,” he said.
He noted that many people have died of cancer in the country and that Government should now use information to educate people about the disease.
“Cancer may affect people at all ages, even fetuses, but the risk for most varieties increases with age,” he said.
The team leader of the group, Alpha Kamara, said the campaign is a result of the poor awareness of the disease in the community and that by reaching out to the people, especially the poor and vulnerable, many lives would be saved.
He noted that Rowaca Cancer Group is supporting the LIVESTRONG campaign to ensure that all countries have national cancer control programs to make a global investment in Cancer Control and to ensure that the stigma of cancer is reduced in the country.
Kamara, who is an affected person himself, said many families have lost loved ones due to cancer and that for most poor and vulnerable people the cost of procuring standard cancer medication is a bottleneck and often ends in the loss of lives.
“We must view this campaign as a survival quest,” he said, adding that because many youths are involved in smoking, the target of the campaign is youth groups in the communities to advise them against the habit.
“It will not be easy for one to quit from cigarette smoking but it will be better for one to protect his/her life and quit the habit,” he advised.
Kamara also disclosed that they will be celebrating the LIVESTRONG Day on October 2, when Surgeon Specialist, Dr. Moses Sesay and others will address the people on the issue.

Culled from http://www.premiernews-sl.com/

Sierra Leone Must Be Prepared To Fight Cancer

LIVESTRONG Team Leader
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide but unfortunately in Africa, priority is yet to be focused in it as is often seen with diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Despite the lapses, African nations can still join the international community and be part in the drive to ensure cancer become a priority in the decision making processes.
The cancer scourge has become so threatening that over 500 delegates from 65 countries in October gathered at the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin to learn, cooperate, and communicate in order to find ways to work together as a community in the fight against cancer.
The LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit is an unprecedented step by the Lance Amstrong Foundation to ensure that people worldwide are provided with national control plans by their governments.
Stakeholders in the summit made a statement of unity, reiterating the urgent need for countries to have National Cancer Control Plans, to make a global investment in cancer control, establishing the millennium development goals, and to reduce the stigma associated with cancer.
This is a call to world leaders, and Sierra Leone should embrace the call and act accordingly to ensure that all Sierra Leoneans live a life free of the fear of cancer.
Like HIV/AIDS, Cancer is often seen by Sierra Leoneans as a disease that cannot be cured and therefore fatal. Cancer is always associated with deformity and death, and taking into consideration the unemployment rate and poverty among the people, the disease is horror and stigma on anyone diagnosed with it.
Children are no exception, as compassion clouded the summit when 9-year old Irish kidney cancer survivor, Rosa, whose father donated a kidney to her in the ultimate act of parental love, made a statement.
She is so young and in her bloom, but was hit by the scourge; same is happening with our younger sisters and brothers. But because of the lack of standard medical opportunities to provide diagnostic solutions for cancer ailments, many ended in the red, living behind loved ones.
Among the key issues also discussed was smoking cigarettes, titled “Tobacco: A Smoking Gun in the Cancer Epidemic.” Indeed smoking is a burning issue in this country, taking into cognizance the rate at which young Sierra Leoneans are engaged into the habit. The damage is not only limited to smokers but also second hand smokers (non smokers who unknowingly inhale cigarette smoke from smokers).
Dr. Ala Alwan, a panelist at the summit stated thus: “There is time we “balance health priorities and government resources” as well as “answering the call, making new commitments to cancer control.”
The call by Dr. Alwan is an advice to all nations and Sierra Leone in particular, to see reason and act now!
Fortunately for Sierra Leone the government is paying priority in the health sector and we are now seeing positive measures in the ongoing promotion for affordable and accessible health service for all Sierra Leoneans.
We believe that with this development, the government of Sierra Leone will see the need to make cancer a priority.
We are also calling upon the government of Sierra Leone to join other nations in the fight against cancer and also work according to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Courtesy of Rowaca Cancer Group