Health official: Cancer cases in the Kurdistan Region have decreased

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region on Sunday commemorated the international day for cancer, highlighting the Region’s over 4,000 recorded cases of cancer during 2017.

The Global Shapers Community – Erbil Hub, in coordination with the Nanakali Hospital, held a festival marking International Cancer Day in Erbil in support of cancer patients in Kurdistan.

Eman Razaq, the Curator of Erbil Hub, said the festival was aimed at collecting donations for cancer patients at the Nanakali Hospital who have also been affected by the financial crisis in the Region.

The festival consisted of selling products such as paintings done by child cancer patients and artists, food, handmade crafts, and a live music performance.

During a speech at the festival, Dr. Saman Barzinji, the Director General of Erbil Health Directorate, revealed that 4,808 cases of cancer were recorded across Kurdistan in 2017.

He added that over 1,000 of the cancer patients who received treatment at hospitals in the Kurdistan Region were from southern and central parts of Iraq.

He also noted that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) continues to provide the patients with the required support despite the ongoing financial crisis.

Dr. Barzinji stated that cases of breast cancer in the Kurdistan Region were below international averages, adding that the number of cancer cases, in general, had decreased in 2017.

The Kurdistan Region has two hospitals which specialize in the treatment of cancer patients, the Nanakali in Erbil and Hiwa in Sulaimani Province.

According to the doctor, the Nanakali Hospital receives and provides treatment for 250 cancer patients on a daily basis.

Dr. Dostri Rasool, the Director of Hiwa Hospital, told Kurdistan 24 that 2,000 cancer cases are recorded in the Region annually in which half of them are from Sulaimani and Halabja provinces and the Garmiyan Administration.  

The Union for International Cancer Control has marked Feb. 4 as International Cancer Day to raise awareness of the disease and encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany