31/03/2026
🇵🇬 Health News 📌
By Dr. James Naipao
Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeon
A Redflap. A frightening Redflap:
(Before you read this, share it)
On the 07th February 2025, I started work after taking my recreational leave.
On my first ward round, this is what I saw; 96% of the patients admitted under my specialty were cancer patients.
It is predicted that by 2043, cancer especially oral cavity, oropharynx and voice box cancers will be at the worst in Papua New Guinea. Other cancers especially cervical, breast, liver and bowel cancer will be at the worst too.
The main cause of this lifestyle changes. Exposure to betelnut, smoking, alcohol, poor hygiene, poor dieting practice, sexually transmitted disease that are common risk factors to cancers. Obesity and consuming simple sugars are risk factors to cancer too.
In the country now, children are exposed at an early age to these risk factors. People exposed to these, the daily volume consumption and exposure to the risk factors daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly increases the packed volume yearly and increases the change of getting cancer.
In the head and neck region, cancer in this region is presenting early now. We are seeing young adults who are 18 and 19 year olds presenting with cancers. When I started my training and as a service registrar, cancer was commonly seen at people in their 50s and 60, and those in their old age mostly.
Early those days, my colleagues and I would go out to Manu Autoport, Boroko and Taurama Foodland looking for a cancer in my region to operate, then we saw cancer patients coming to the clinic and most got treated irrespective of the staging. Then, the numbers started to increase. Right now, it is at the worst. The simple description is, "25 years ago, my specialty was looking for cancer patients to operate, then patients started coming in a Mr. Bean's car, then in a land cruiser, and then in a 15 seater bus. Ten years ago, they started coming in a 25 seater bus. Now, they are in a Hino truck. By 2043, they will come in several 105 mining trucks.
The cancer load, the limited bed space, the bottle neck theatre space and the exhausted cancer treatment modalities will absolutely not measure up to the cancer load Papua New Guinea is facing now and will be at its worst by 2023.
Despite surgery,
Despite chemotherapy,
Despite radiotherapy, (including brachytherapy),
Despite immunotherapy,
Despite nanotherapy, and
Despite the latest cancer treatment innovation, these treatment modalities will not solve the disease burden and cancer burden in Papua New Guinea. These treatment modalities are to to help reduce the mortality and increase the five year survival rate. Increasing the five year survival rate is dependent so much on the cancer stage presentation, body's own immunity, availability of all the treatment modalities of cancer, and ability of the cancer and residual cancer cells to respond to the cancer treatment, body's self-response, and with a reliable follow up plan instituted.
It is estimated that by 2043, 70% of the deaths in the country will be from cancer.
To avoid reaching this fatality rate, lifestyle changes is the only answer - 'Prevention is better than Cure';
1. Do not consume the risk factors,
2. Reduce the pack cell volume and consume the risk factors in moderation,
3. Prevent childhood and teenage exposure to the risk facture,
4. Early detection and treatment will increase the survival rate.
5. A strict follow up plan.
Be reminded that children's cancer is not discussed here.
Life on earth is short and calculated. Life on the other side is an eternity its own outcomes.
If you care, share this post, I do.
Dr. James Naipao
Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeon
