Mortal diseases increasing in Iran

By Sara Rajabova

The number of Iranians getting infectious and mortal diseases has sharply increased in recent years.

Despite the efforts of the Iranian government to tackle the health problems, the number of people getting infected with the mortal diseases and viruses is on the rise.

Especially, the cases infected with cancer, which is the most common cause of death after coronary heart disease and road traffic accidents, has reached a dangerous level in the country. Iranian media outlets claim that about 105 people die of cancer each day in Iran.

Besides, the increase of the number of children struck by cancer is alarming. Managing Director of MAHAK (Iranian Society to Support Children Suffering from Cancer) Arasb Ahmadian has recently said the number of children who are revealed to have cancer is increasing every year by 15 percent.

He, however, noted that during the last Iranian year (ended on March 21), the number of child deaths of cancer has decreased by 14.8 percent, compared to previous year, IRNA news agency reported.

Ahmadian went on to say that over 21,100 children were under MAHAK protection, which is a hospital run by charitable foundations for children's cancer, by the end of last fiscal year (March 21, 2014).

The most common childhood cancers in Iran were leukemia, lymphoma and the central nervous system (CNS). For these types of cancers and most others, the incidence rates among males were higher than females. During the previous years, the childhood cancer in Iran's capital city Tehran was higher provinces.

The experts consider that the high reported mortality of childhood cancer in Iran may be due to the low education and awareness of the parents, late diagnosis, or the low access to the effective treatment. The cancer treatment is mostly considered an expensive procedure for the people with low-income.

On the other hand, the Western sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program have hampered the import of the cancer drugs. The sanctions have led to a shortage or the rise of price of drugs in the country.

Iranian researchers have developed several types of anti-cancer medications, overcoming the need for importing pricey cancer drugs from abroad, the Iranian media earlier reported. The researchers said this medicine can destroy all kinds of malignant cancerous cells, without damaging the healthy cells. The medicine has successfully been tested for the treatment of breast, bone, liver, and kidney cancer, which are the most resistant cancers.

Head of Cancer Research Center in Iran, Mohammad Ismayil Akbari said earlier that some 41,000 people died in Iran due to cancer during the last year and annually about 85,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the country. However, according to the Iranian media, the real number of cancer patients is 90,000-95,000, with over 50,000-55,000 fatalities.

On the other hand, the rise of the number of AIDS patients in Iran has also turned into a serious health problem in the country.

People's negligence over health problems and unawareness of grave diseases are apparently a serious concern in Iran, with a high number of people infected with AIDS.

Head of the Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS Minoo Mohraz has recently said the number of AIDS patients infected via sexual intercourse and drug injection has increased in the country.

She said according to the official figures, there is 30,000 populations infected with AIDS, however, the number of the unregistered patients is more than 100,000 people.

The number of infected people has significantly increased in the country comparing with the previous years. Last year, the reports revealed around 26,000 people infected with AIDS and 50,000 to 55,000 Iranians unaware of their infection.

Mohraz noted that the use of narcotic substances and sexual relations between drug addicts lead to infection with AIDS. The worst thing is that many of those infected are unaware that they are carrying the mortal virus.

In Iran, there has been a ninefold growth in the number of people with AIDS in the past 11 years and there is an 80 percent increase each year, according to media reports.

Information about AIDS is reportedly withheld in Iran for mental and religious reasons. People often are not informed about the virus transmission, therefore, the number of those infected in the country has considerably increased in recent years.

/AzerNews/