Have not identified cause of cancer surge in Maldives yet: Nazim

Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim said today that even though cancer rates in Maldives are at a concerning level, the cause of the surge in cancer has not been identified as of yet.

A press conference was held today regarding the increase of cancer in people and whether the cause has been identified. At the conference, Minister Nazim said that they are sure that there are a lot of people with cancer even if they have not researched the exact number of people. He also said that such research has not been conducted as of yet.

"What we do not know is that many types of cancer can have varying causes and that cancer can be caused by varying reasons as well, and that is because we have not done a study on it. It is also something we cannot identify," said Nazim at the media briefing held at the President's Office.

"In some situations, a person's lifestyle can be the cause of cancer. Other times, it can be genetic."

As per Nazim, the government's policy is to empower "early diagnosis". And so, the government is arranging systems where such testing can be done in islands, said the minister.

Nazim also said that work is being done to expand chemotherapy services across atolls.

The most common type of cancer in Maldives is the one caused by smoking, with Nazim stating that the government's steps taken against tobacco would see a solution to it in the future.

Minister Nazim said that the most important work that is being done is the expansion of cessation clinics across Maldives and that all islands would have that service available to them. He also said that gum patches to stop smoking are now available via Aasandha.

The World Health Organization (WHO) came to Maldives in 2022 to conduct research as to why there are rising cancer rates in the country. However, it is unclear as to whether the results of the research were published.

But, when Mihaaru News asked IGMH as to what is the type of cancer that has been seen the most in the last four years, the hospital recently said that more than 4,800 people have sought treatment at their hospital alone for breast cancer.