South Sudan has inaugurated its first population-based cancer registry at Juba Teaching Hospital to improve disease surveillance and health care planning.

The registry will track cancer types, distribution, and trends to guide evidence-based healthcare planning and resource allocation.

Tolbert Geewleh Nyenswah, country representative of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in South Sudan, said the initiative would strengthen cancer services.

Mr Nyebswah said the registry is more than just a system for recording cancer cases but a foundation for better decisions, stronger cancer services, and more informed actions to protect the health of our community.

Albino Amum Awin, director of the Cancer Registry, noted that South Sudan previously lacked a dependable documentation system, leaving public health interventions without vital guidance.

The cancer registry would allow the country to contribute reliable data to international databases.

Caretaker Minister of Health, Dak Duop Bichiok, noted that the country had long struggled to obtain reliable national cancer data, hindering efforts to understand the burden of the disease and plan effective interventions.

Mr Bichiok said the new registry would help the government and its partners to make informed decisions on cancer regarding prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and investment.

He also urged private hospitals, medical professionals, and other health stakeholders to actively contribute to cancer reporting to ensure comprehensive data collection.

Anthony Lupai, director-general of Juba Teaching Hospital, noted that while South Sudan has made strides in developing cancer expertise, the country still lacks the facilities and equipment needed for comprehensive treatment.

Mr Lupai stressed that the establishment of a cancer registry should be accompanied by investments in treatment facilities, trained staff, and medical equipment. 

(Xinhua/NAN)