Health Protection Agency HPA says cancer is the cause of 17 percent of the deaths in the Maldives and between 2017 to 2019 a staggering 7,500 people have sought treatment for cancer.
Every year, the 4th of February is marked as World Cancer Day to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.
Citing data collected by the World Health Organization HPA said that men in the Maldives are mostly treated for lung, prostate, stomach as well as liver cancers.
HPA noted that breast, cervical, lung, and thyroid cancer is common in Maldivian women. Colorectal is common in both men and women in the Maldives.
The Agency identified several risk factors for cancer and noted that some of the factors were related to the lifestyles and habits of people.
HPA said that these habits include smoking, lack of physical activities and exercises, using tobacco and not eating healthy foods or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
