Areca nut and tobacco use is scientifically confirmed as the main cause for oral cancer, and around three people die daily succumbing to this, Deputy Director General (Dental Services) Specialist Doctor Chandana Gajanayake said.
All these lives can be saved by eliminating tobacco and areca nut use with betel, and the support of the Maha Sangha led by the venerable Chief Prelates is necessary for this, he added.
The Deputy Director General said this yesterday (21) when visiting the Chief Prelate of the Malwatta Chapter Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera and the Deputy Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Thera.
He further added details of the awareness programme proposed to be implemented centred around the historical Ridi Vihara in Kurunegala by the Regional Health Services Director's Office on account of World Head and Neck Cancer Day marked on July 27.
Among the Sri Lanka men identified with cancer, the highest number of people referred for treatment are with oral cancer.
Oral cancer is not commonly seen among women and observed to be in 8th place among female cancer patients.
Areca nut and tobacco use is the main reason for oral cancer to be commonly seen among males. Although a situation of betel chewing decreasing to some extent is seen with urbanisation, a nature of their use rising again is seen in society with the introduction of small-sized packets like 'babul' prepared containing tobacco, areca nut, and sugar.
Not only school students and university students, but monks receiving piriven education were also accustomed to using these. These are popular among bus drivers as well, Dr. Gajanayake added.
Because there are addictive substances in these, a person who ate a few times is tempted to continue eating it.
Expressing views here, Deputy Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Thera said:
"The current government paid special attention to eliminate drugs from the country. I also participate in the monthly meetings held regarding that. It is revealed in these discussions that eating this tobacco and areca nut is the initial stage of the youth community turning to drugs.
It is a truth that even student monks were accustomed to eating these. Attention should be paid towards banning the import of health-harmful areca nut and tobacco products from foreign countries."
Kurunegala District Regional Health Services Director Specialist Doctor Inoka Weerasinghe, Community Health Specialist Doctor and Director of the National Cancer Control Programme Senaka Talagala, Professor Ruwan Jayasinghe of the Faculty of Dental Sciences at the University of Peradeniya, Community Dental Specialist Doctor Prasanna Jayasekara of the National Cancer Control Programme, Community Dental Specialist Doctor Ama Nanayakkara, Community Dental Specialist Doctor Aruni Seneviratne, Secretary of the Government Dental Officers' Association Dental Specialist Aruna Abeywardena, Dental Surgeon and Basnayake Nilame of the Kurunegala Ridi Vihara Chula Bandara, and Dental Surgeon Priyantha Wijesuriya participated the event.
All these lives can be saved by eliminating tobacco and areca nut use with betel, and the support of the Maha Sangha led by the venerable Chief Prelates is necessary for this, he added.
The Deputy Director General said this yesterday (21) when visiting the Chief Prelate of the Malwatta Chapter Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera and the Deputy Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Thera.
He further added details of the awareness programme proposed to be implemented centred around the historical Ridi Vihara in Kurunegala by the Regional Health Services Director's Office on account of World Head and Neck Cancer Day marked on July 27.
Among the Sri Lanka men identified with cancer, the highest number of people referred for treatment are with oral cancer.
Oral cancer is not commonly seen among women and observed to be in 8th place among female cancer patients.
Areca nut and tobacco use is the main reason for oral cancer to be commonly seen among males. Although a situation of betel chewing decreasing to some extent is seen with urbanisation, a nature of their use rising again is seen in society with the introduction of small-sized packets like 'babul' prepared containing tobacco, areca nut, and sugar.
Not only school students and university students, but monks receiving piriven education were also accustomed to using these. These are popular among bus drivers as well, Dr. Gajanayake added.
Because there are addictive substances in these, a person who ate a few times is tempted to continue eating it.
Expressing views here, Deputy Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Thera said:
"The current government paid special attention to eliminate drugs from the country. I also participate in the monthly meetings held regarding that. It is revealed in these discussions that eating this tobacco and areca nut is the initial stage of the youth community turning to drugs.
It is a truth that even student monks were accustomed to eating these. Attention should be paid towards banning the import of health-harmful areca nut and tobacco products from foreign countries."
Kurunegala District Regional Health Services Director Specialist Doctor Inoka Weerasinghe, Community Health Specialist Doctor and Director of the National Cancer Control Programme Senaka Talagala, Professor Ruwan Jayasinghe of the Faculty of Dental Sciences at the University of Peradeniya, Community Dental Specialist Doctor Prasanna Jayasekara of the National Cancer Control Programme, Community Dental Specialist Doctor Ama Nanayakkara, Community Dental Specialist Doctor Aruni Seneviratne, Secretary of the Government Dental Officers' Association Dental Specialist Aruna Abeywardena, Dental Surgeon and Basnayake Nilame of the Kurunegala Ridi Vihara Chula Bandara, and Dental Surgeon Priyantha Wijesuriya participated the event.
