Harm reduction can reduce cancer cases by 30%
Harm reduction has been described as a powerful public health tool that is capable of reducing cancer cases by 30 per cent in Africa. A renowned Oncologist and Professor of Surgery at the Cancer Institute in Senegal, Prof. Abdoul Kassé, who disclosed this at the second Harm Reduction Exchange conference for African journalists in Nairobi, Kenya, said that harm reduction should be at the centre of all public health development strategies. He said that the tool has already benefited many people in public health.
“It applies to areas where there is a need to reduce the harm associated with a
practice or consumption of a substance that is overused in society leading to increased morbidity and mortality.
“Innovative Harm Reduction initiatives will help to keep more Africans alive. Tobacco Harm Reduction initiatives, including the use
of popular e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, and chewing gums, have continued to generate a lot of misunderstanding in both the public health community and in the media.
“However, there is evidence that the use of potentially less harmful alternatives than cigarettes for those who are not willing or cannot give up smoking with currently approved methods may be a solution, not necessarily the best for everyone, but by far better than continuous smoking.”
On his part, the Integra Africa Principal, Dr. Tendai Mhizha, emphasised the role journalists and media houses need to play in handling misinformation and disinformation in tobacco harm reduction discourse that is actually perpetuating the death and disease caused by people continuing to smoke combustible cigarettes.
“There has been a lot of disinformation surrounding the topic of nicotine and the alleged negative effects that e-cigarettes have on public health. This has led to policies that disfavour risk-reducing products and narratives that completely deny their benefits.
“The media has the difficult responsibility to curb the scourge of disinformation and misinformation on harm reduction just like on other socio-political stances that are prescriptive and do not uphold consumers’ right to healthier lifestyle choices,” Dr. Mhizha said.
The conference cast a spotlight on alternative ways to reduce harm among tobacco smokers. Held under the theme: Harm Reduction: Making a difference in Africa, the conference focused on the progress made through harm reduction strategies in all fields related to public health such as drug and alcohol abuse, excessive sugar consumption, skin lightening, and other addictive and behavioral practices.
A wide array of harm reduction strategies and initiatives that is deployed towards reducing unnecessary deaths through non-communicable diseases were presented and discussed.
