KATHMANDU, JULY 5

More than 2,000 children in the country are diagnosed with cancer in a year, according to data made public at an event.

This information was shared at the Awareness Programme on Prevention of Cancer among Children. The programme was organised today under the joint aegis of Kathmandu Metropolitan City's Department of Health, Lions Club of Kathmandu Harati Mata, Kashthamandap, UN Park and Gurans.

On the occasion, the speakers said that 300,000 children worldwide and more than 2,000 in Nepal are diagnosed with cancer every year.

Dr Anjali Pandit of Nepal Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Harisiddhi, said that children mostly suffer from blood cancer.

She said besides blood cancer, they also develop cancer of brain, backbone, glands, eyes, bone, kidney, and muscles.

Dr Pandit stressed on timely diagnosis of the disease. She added that cancer could be cured if diagnosed in time. Cancer in girls can be cured in two years and for boys it takes three years.

Dr Ashish Lal Shrestha of Kathmandu Medical College and Teaching Hospital said that it was possible to treat cancer in children in the country itself provided that the condition was diagnosed and treated on time.

He said cancer is seen among children if the mother consumes alcohol and smokes during pregnancy, due to radiation and harmful chemicals, living in polluted environment and excessive use of pesticides and genetic disturbances seen in the embryonic stage.

KMC's Department of Health Chief Balaram Tripathi said that many children in Nepal were found to be suffering from various types of cancer, which was a global problem and KMC had been conducting several public awareness programmes for its prevention.

He expressed commitment of the metropolis to move ahead together collaborating with different social organisations for improving the health of Kathmandu denizens.

Lions Club of International District 324 H district Governor Dinesh Prasad Shrestha said cancer in children could be cured through timely diagnosis and treatment.

Bikas Man Singh, coordinator of Cancer Awareness Programme, Lions Club of International District 324 H, stated that cancer rate in children in Nepal was alarming, but only a few cancer patients reached health institutions seeking treatment. He added that only 30 per cent of those reaching health institutions continued treatment.

Ashok Man Maharjan of the Lions Club of Kathmandu Harati Mata said the Lions Club of International had been conducting weeklong awareness programme since July 1.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 6, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.