Mafeteng, April 04 – The Minister of Health Mr. Selibe Mochoboroane says Lesotho like other countries also experience health problem of various diseases.
This, he said during a community dialogue held at Mafeteng on Monday where he highlighted that diseases such as tuberculosis, breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer are some of those that people tend to ignore.
Mr. Mochoboroane said that majority of people infected with tuberculosis are those who worked in Saunth African Mines together with their family members and some of them have died leaving their benefits behind due to lack of valid medical document allowing to claim and clarifying the real cause of their death.
He stressed the need for the country to construct its own cancer centre in ensuring treatment of all those infected to avoid loss of people due to shortage of doctors as the cancer infected patients are referred to Sanakatana, Bloemfontein and India where the government of Lesotho is paying a lot of money that could have been used to implement developmental activities for the benefit of its nation.
The Minister highlighted that the last year’s reports from Sankatana revealed that about 606 people are infected with cancer and three hundred of them are women with cervical cancer, saying there is need for collaborative effort to declare fight against all the diseases.
He said the team should work cooperatively in ensuring that all new-borns are vaccinated to protect them from easily attacked by various diseases that include polio and measles, saying it is only when members of the community have knowledge and information about the diseases that they could comply through visiting nearby health facilities whereby they could be screened and treated that numbers of people dying due to various disease will be decreased.
The Participants at the Community Dialogue have stressed the need for the Ministry of Health through the Department of Education within the ministry to hold health education campaigns as part of efforts in ensuring healthy living among all.
They said majority of members of the community in rural areas are not aware of the diseases until they lose a family member to such.
They agreed that tuberculosis, cancer through its different types including HIV and AIDS are killing people in large numbers, adding that there are still people who ignore the signs, decided not to go for testing and screening due to lack of knowledge while others are just frightened by visiting established local health facilities.
They suggested that the ministry through their professional nurses including Village Health Workers should also strengthen their service delivery, saying visiting those on various medical or drugs while at same time encouraging members of the community having no signs of any disease to screen to reduce numbers of people dying as a result of lack of knowledge and fear of consulting doctors.
Speaking at the same occasion the Hospital Tuberculosis Coordinator Ms. Lisemelo Adam confirmed that tuberculosis has affected the country negatively with high numbers of ex-miners together with their family members.
Ms. Adam said signs of infected patients are there as some of them; have a problem of breathing, sever coughing and sweating, lack of appetite and exposed people are those with HIV and AIDS including the diabetic patients, people gathering together with various purposes.
The Tuberculosis Coordinator highlighted that other victims of tuberculosis are under fifteen years’ children, above 50 years’ people, saying the problem could be prevented through use of drugs that prevent the diseases found at different local health facilities and opening of windows where people are gathered in large numbers particularly when they are in a closed buildings or community halls.
Similar campaigns will be held within six district Principal Wards of Matelile, Likhoele, Tebang, Rothe, Matsieng and Tajane with the aim controlling the spread of various diseases.
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