Awareness targets poor health habits

YOUNG people should choose healthy lifestyle activities to avoid diseases including cancer, according to the Papua New Guinea Cancer Foundation (PNGCF).
The foundation joined the Youth Arts Programme (YAP) at the Moresby Arts Theatre (MAT) on Aug 5 in line with the World Cancer Day’s “CloseTheCareCap” campaign to contribute to YAP’s aim to influence education, confidence-building and the development of expressive abilities in young adults.
The session focused on the social issue of a healthy lifestyle and awareness on poor health habits that contributed to the cancer burden in PNG.
Present at the session were 82 students from the PNG Paradise College and De La Salle Secondary School with their teachers, including staff members from the MAT who were actively engaged throughout the session.
Health educator from University of PNG medical faculty, Tracy Kabewa, said the three most prevalent cancers affecting Papua New Guineans were breast, mouth and cervical cancer.
She said unfortunately, PNG was currently leading globally with most cases of mouth cancer which was closely attributed to the habit of betel-nut chewing with and without mustard and lime.
Kabewa added that in recent years, cervical cancer mortality rate had surpassed that of breast cancer.
With the country’s already strained health system, everyone at the session was encouraged to adopt and practice healthy lifestyle choices.