03/04/2024
The 1st edition of the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Campaign ended on a note of encouragement
Published by André LOUNDA
The very first edition of the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Campaign called “Blue Mars”, launched on March 1, 2024 at the auditorium of the Brazzaville University Hospital Center. CHU-B in acronym ended on March 30, 2024 in the conference room of the Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo, the SNPC around two scientific days held on March 29 and 30. Organized in partnership between the Congolese Society of Gastroenterology headed by Madame Clausina MIKOLÉ-AHOUI APENDI, Associate Professor, Teacher at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Marien NGOUABI University. Head of the Gastroenterology Department at CHU-B, president of the Organizing Committee of the said campaign, and the National Cancer Control Program, the PNLC, headed by Professor Judith NTSONDÉ MALANDA, Oncologist at CHU-B. This first edition raised awareness among more than 4,000 people. The official closing ceremony of this campaign was placed under the auspices of Professor Jean Rosaire IBARA, Minister in charge of State control, participation diplomas were given to all participants.
From these two scientific days, the summary report of the work emerges, the presentation of 44 oral communications particularly focused on the epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy of colorectal cancer as well as on the promotion of health and the financing of the fight against this scourge in the Republic of Congo. On the epidemiological level, according to statistics, rates of colorectal cancer are increasing in Congo. This is a pathology which increasingly affects young subjects, contrary to classic data in the literature. But the cancer registry does not provide all the data on colorectal cancer at the national level. There is no collaboration between the cancer registry and the health information department of the Ministry of Health. There is also the screening program organized in Congo for colorectal cancer. The communications focused, among other things, on: the state of play of CRC in Congo, screening and diagnosis of CRC; CRC treatments; the epidemiology of colorectal cancers; health promotion and financing of the fight against this scourge in the Republic of Congo. : Brazzaville Cancer Registry: the incidence of colorectal cancer in the city of Brazzaville from 1996 to 2021; Brazzaville Cancer Registry: data on cancer incidence in Brazzaville in 2020 and 2021; Malignant colorectal tumors: status and perspectives for the development of research in the pathological anatomy department of CHU-B; Mortality linked to CRC in the GEMI department at CHU-B; Occluding colon tumors in adults: epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects; Investing in the fight against colorectal cancer: let’s talk about it; Colorectal cancer screening: what strategy for proportional risks in developing countries? Peritoneal tuberculosis in the gastroenterology department at CHU-B: about 44 cases, etc.
Furthermore, it must be emphasized that in terms of diagnosis, the majority of patients are diagnosed late, total colonoscopy is the reference examination to confirm the diagnosis thanks to the performance of biopsies which determine the histological nature of the humino-utochemical to search for bio markers useful for treatment. These bio markers are not produced in Congo, because the equipment of the histopathology laboratory service for carrying out molecular biology is in perspective at the University Hospital Center of Brazzaville. The treatment of colorectal cancers was, for the majority of cases, emergency surgery or regular surgery associated or not with chemotherapy. And total success was possible in patients diagnosed early.
For Professor MIKOLELE AHOUI APENDI Clausina, in her summary of the campaign, indicated that this very first edition of this campaign placed particular emphasis on raising awareness of colorectal cancer, is a response to the problems relating to this public and global scourge. To maximize the fight against this pathology, she declared that: “We want to achieve specific objectives, in particular the carrying out of awareness-raising activities, mass screenings and finally the scientific work which will allow us to evaluate the impact of our actions. in the long term while hoping that at the end of this campaign, we expect to see an increase in patients consulted and screened and an improvement in the diagnostic status as well as access to treatment. Then, she recalled that this awareness campaign was entirely dedicated to the city of Brazzaville, and its teams were able to contact several health structures. A team, mainly made up of women, traveled throughout the month to raise awareness among the population and nearly 4,000 people were reached. But first, this campaign began with several conferences, mostly at CHU-B for a better understanding of the disease.
Closing the work with a note of encouragement, Professor Jean Rosaire IBARA reminded the communicators that their communications should not deviate from the theme of the campaign and he encouraged this initiative which is the very first carried out in Congo to go move forward and prepare to jump better to achieve the objectives pursued.
