Tobacco is a Major Cause of Cancer, Says Vice President Ansari

Vice president Ansari reveals that tobacco is a major cause of cancer and called for an effort to curb smoking. Inaugurating the 64th Annual Conference of Otolaryngologists of India here today, Ansari said the tobaacco epidemic kills 5.4 million people a year from lung cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. It is an irony that the vast majority of those deaths occur in the developing world where rapidly growing economies offer people the hope of a better life.

Emphasizing that all efforts should be made to prevent illness and death resulting from the use of tobacco, Vice President Ansari said: "Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death in the world today and a major cause of cancer. It is reportedly the only legal consumer product that can harm everyone exposed to it, and kills up to half of those who use it as intended. We can, and should, prevent illness and death resulting from tobacco use."

Ansari told the ENT surgeons to treat the cancer patients at an early stage and also educate the population regarding the factors that are responsible for the disease and how we can prevent it disease by avoiding smoking, chewing tobacco and betel nut as well as by developing screening programmes to detect the cancer and cancer causing conditions at an early stage

Ansari pointed out that at a global level, it is estimated that 278 million people suffer from disabling hearing loss, of whom two-thirds are from developing countries. In India, about 67 million people suffer from disabling hearing loss which can be prevented in 50 per cent of the affected population and can be treated and rehabilitation undertaken in about 80 per cent of the affected population.

These figures point to the magnitude of the challenge facing the country, and especially the concerned specialists and professionals. He called for concerted efforts made to increase the numbers of ENT specialists and Otolaryngologists to tackle this problem effectively.

Ansari called on ENT specialists and Otolaryngologists to emulate the National Programme for Prevention of Blindness and initiate a National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness, which was started as a pilot project five years ago in some parts of the country.

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Stating that Cancer has a much higher incidence in our country as compared to the West, probably related to life style causes, Vice President Ansari said : "Cancer related to ear, nose and throat that constitutes about 40 per cent of body cancer also needs urgent attention of the nation."

"At a global level, it is estimated that 278 million people suffer from disabling hearing loss, of whom two-thirds are from developing countries. In India, about 67 million people suffer from disabling hearing loss which I understand can be prevented in 50 per cent of the affected population and can be treated and rehabilitation undertaken in about 80 per cent of the affected population," he added.

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Source-ANI