MANDEVILLE, Manchester — When the Mandeville Regional Hospital opened its offsite oncology unit in 2023 only five patients were receiving treatment there, but with the increasing rate of cancer that number now stands at almost 600.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton pointed to the spike during last Thursday’s tour of the leased facility located on New Green Road, a few hundred metres north of the hospital.

“The Government is concerned about the increasing rate of cancer within our society. I am not a medical practitioner, but I watch the numbers and I get the reports and cancers remain one of the fastest-growing categories of illness,” Tufton told the audience.

He said although the ministry has been pushing for people to be screened, there seems to be a combination of factors affecting the rate of cancer in the population.

“Hereditary is one, but issues around consumption is another. Tobacco consumption, all types of smoking devices, obesity, the food that we eat and in particular processed and ultra-processed foods. The food in the tins [which] have highly levels of sodium, high levels of sugar and indeed other forms of chemicals for preserving those foods and alcohol consumption,” added Tufton.

He pointed out that there is also a worry that some farmers, particularly in St Elizabeth, are not adhering to safety measures including wearing personal protection equipment when handling pesticides in their fields.

“The farmers are a very special group. A matter of a fact, they feed the country and feed us with fresh produce. We need to give them their natural chance of living their natural life, but also from the pesticide control side, a lot of the fresh stuff we consume ourselves and contaminated with these chemicals.

“I tell my helper to wash my tomato with soap and water and I don’t want the imported one. I much prefer the local one, because the imported one chemical you can’t wash out, it is inside of it. The local one with the wormhole is the best one, but I have to wash off the skin,” said Tufton.

During a discussion with oncologist Dr Jamie Lee Foote, Tufton said people need to be encouraged that they can beat cancer.

“Cancer is not a death sentence, we need to tell people that. A lot of people survive and live long, but the detection and the timing is the key thing,” declared Tufton as he emphasised the need for Jamaicans to be screened.

“Because early detection saves lives and we can’t over emphasise that. Everywhere I have been in Jamaica and outside of Jamaica the concept of screening, getting your regular check-up without fear, but rather as a bold demonstration of trying to preserve your life and your wellness, is an absolutely fundamental approach,” said Tufton.

“We have the ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign, which is why we have 330 health centres in the primary system and which is why we have other offerings we collaborate to get persons to know their numbers,” added the health minister.

He noted that the hospital’s offsite cancer treatment facility is growing rapidly to the point where administrators are contemplating expanding it.

“We are going to have to look at what else can be done, maybe to expand to see what other tools and equipment can be added…We had a conversation on that to see if we can enhance the outreach component, so that the screening can become a bigger part of the prevention programme and early detection and treatment and to create a greater awareness at the same time. The policy is to expand overtime, but this a very good start and based on the numbers that we are seeing, it is quite obvious that is a well-needed idea that has come to fruition, come to reality,” said Dr Tufton.

The facility is seen as a life changing one offering convenience to many and Tufton noted that people in Mandeville previously had to travel to Montego Bay, St James, or Kingston which was inconvenient and added to the pain, suffering and trauma that is related to cancer detection and treatment.