Cancer in Africa

No one will begrudge the contributions to the world made by people such as Patrick Swayze, Randy Pausch and others whose struggles with cancer have become famous. But amidst the “public suffering” of those who have been diagnosed with one form of the disease or another are thousands of others who remain nameless. Nowhere is this more true than in Africa.

According to the World Health Organisation, by 2020, African states will account for more than a million new cancer cases per year out of a total of 16-million cases worldwide. At the same time, Africa remains the continent least prepared to cope with the devastating effects of this new pandemic, having only a few cancer care services available.

As one researcher notes, “the state of health of people living in Africa must become a global concern, because it is more cost-effective to prevent a pandemic while it is in its infancy, rather than dealing with it at the development stage.”

Dollars and cents aside, it also is the right thing to do

Mistakes of the past ...

Reminiscent of the deadly riots of the Rwandan genocide, three days of riots in neighboring Uganda have so far left more than 20 people dead and nearly 100 others injured.

Similar to the horrors in Rwanda which claimed the lives of thousands of men, women and children -- rioters in Uganda heard “sectarian” broadcasts last week that “systematically incited the listeners to cause chaos and destruction wherever they could,” said a statement issued by Minister of Information and National Guidance Kabakumba Masiko. It described those who took part in the rioting in Kampala and its suburbs as “marauding thugs.”

The broadcasts aired in the Buganda Kingdom -- one of the four major kingdoms which comprise Uganda. Many of the rioters were Baganda between the ages of 18 and 35. The Baganda are Uganda's dominant ethnic group, making up about 16.9 percent of the population. Ethnic and political tension between the kingdom and the central government had been escalating over the past few weeks.

Kenya's crisis from the inside

Stumbling across a blog site called “Africa’s Expat Wives Club” (http://africaexpatwivesclub.blogspot.com/2009/08/kenyas-drought-2009.html) was perhaps providential. In any case, though, it provides a better view of the worsening crisis in Kenya.

“Someone left a comment, asking for an update on whether the drought conditions in Kenya are real or being exaggerated by the press,” a blogger writes. “… at the moment it is pretty dire. Kenya is certainly going through some dark days.”

“A government program of subsidising fertilizer earlier this year has proved useless as the long rains basically failed. Hydro electric power, which Nairobi is overly dependant on, is now ineffective as there is no water in the dams. Currently power is being rationed for at least 3 days per week - city wide for householders and businesses alike. The 'jua kali' fundis (carpenters, welders, small businesses) who operate on the side of the road, are struggling badly along side major industries. Boreholes are running dry everywhere.”

Please continue to remember the people of Kenya in your prayers – and in your giving!

News that’s not in the news

As hunger and famine continue to grip much of East Africa, especially Kenya, international aid organizations are reaching out to find the help needed to stave off a humanitarian disaster.

A new United Nations’ report states that Kenya needs $230 million over the next six months to feed millions affected by drought. The continued failure of annual rains has reduced crop output, the main source of food for the nation’s 37 million people. The drought has also affected water production and prompted power rationing. Kenya gets most of its energy from hydro-generation. In total, about 3.8 million Kenyans need emergency food aid, and conditions are expected to deteriorate in the next few months, the report states.

The rate among children under 5 suffering malnutrition has gone from 15 to 20 percent in some cases. “People are already going hungry, malnutrition is preying on more and more young children, cattle are dying -- we face a huge challenge and are urging the international community to provide us with the resources we need to get the job done.”

For more info, go to http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/wfp-seeks-urgent-assistance-kenya-sinks-deeper-crisis.