Cancer patients face late diagnosis and lack of treatment in South Sudan

A cancer advocacy group has warned that many patients in South Sudan are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, leaving them with limited treatment options.

Dr. Albino Amum Awin, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the South Sudan Cancer Network, said the lack of cancer treatment services in the country forces patients to seek medical care abroad at high costs.

Dr. Amum made the remarks during an appearance on Eye Radio’s Dawn show this morning, expressing concern over the number of patients who arrive at hospitals when their condition is already severe.

“Really, it is disappointing. I have received many cases, and the worst thing is that patients come in at an advanced stage, the last stage. Many cancer cases are reported, but most patients arrive at a stage when the disease can no longer be treated, and all we can do is wait for the person to die,” he said.

“This is the situation we are in in South Sudan. As you know, there is no cancer treatment available here in South Sudan, so patients have to seek treatment abroad, which is also very expensive.”

According to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), South Sudan recorded an estimated 8,124 new cancer cases and 5,218 cancer deaths in 2024.

Breast cancer was the most frequently diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 1,760 cases, followed by cervical cancer with 890 cases and prostate cancer with 629 cases.

Breast cancer also accounted for the highest estimated number of cancer deaths, at 840, followed by cervical cancer with 554 deaths and prostate cancer with 401.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a global campaign observed from October 1 to October 31 to promote early detection, raise awareness, support research and provide support to people affected by the disease.