Media Mobilization in the Fight Against Cancer in Togo
- Posted on 23/07/2025 19:50
- Film
- By raymonddzakpata@sante-education.tg
Extract from the article: Around twenty media professionals took part on Tuesday, July 22, in an information and exchange meeting on cancer in Togo. The objective was to strengthen their involvement in the fight against cancer and in raising awareness about risk factors...
Around
twenty media professionals took part on Tuesday, July 22, in an information and
exchange meeting on cancer in Togo. The objective was to strengthen their
involvement in the fight against cancer and in raising awareness about risk
factors. The meeting was organized by the Ministry of Health and Public
Hygiene, with financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
In
2022, Togo recorded 5,491 new cases of cancer, including 3,605 deaths. These
figures reveal a painful reality, but more importantly, an opportunity—to act
in a concerted, structured, and sustainable way.
Professor
Mofou Belo, Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Surveillance Division,
emphasized the urgency of collective mobilization to combat the alarming rise
in cancer cases in Togo, especially cervical and breast cancers. “These
cancers can be prevented through early screening and very active awareness
campaigns on the risk factors of these cancers. Prevention starts with
information, behavior change, but also vaccination against certain viruses and
easier access to screening,” he said.
During
the meeting, Dr. M’bortche Bingo, President of the Togolese Society of
Gynecologists and Obstetricians (SGOT), presented in detail the epidemiological
situation of cervical and breast cancers in Togo. Through numerical data, he
highlighted the importance of early screening, the major risk factors, as well
as the progress and challenges of the health system in care management.
The
WHO representative, Dr. Kaaga Laconi, praised the Ministry’s commitment and
urged journalists to actively participate in awareness campaigns, the
dissemination of reliable information, and the fight against the stigmatization
of patients. “We know the challenges are immense, such as late diagnosis,
unequal access, and stigma. But we also know that solutions exist. The WHO
today calls for national and regional mobilization to invest sustainably in
prevention, screening, care, and research, to break the silence around cancer,
and to guarantee every Togolese citizen a fundamental right to health,
regardless of where they live or their social condition,” she insisted.
Cancers
lead to economic, psychological, and human consequences. It is therefore urgent
to involve the media not only to strengthen public awareness but also to
support advocacy towards policymakers and technical and financial partners.
The
Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, Dr. Kokou
Wotobe, reinforced this message by stressing that communication is an essential
pillar of the national response against cancer. “Your commitment, your
ability to inform, to raise awareness, to break taboos is an indispensable
lever in this noble fight against cancer. Together, we can reverse the trend.
Together, we can ensure that every Togolese man and woman has access to information,
screening, and appropriate treatment. Together, we can give life a chance,”
he said.
The
meeting was part of the celebration of World Cancer Day 2025, observed on
February 4, with the theme “United by the Unique.”
Raymond
DZAKPATA
