DPH preventive care programs scrapped?

The Department of Public Health has reportedly suspended some chronic disease prevention programs due to funding woes, causing alarm to certain community sectors, including the Commonwealth Cancer Association.

The department reportedly suspended the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Program effective Nov. 3. It reportedly ceased the Cancer Registry Program following the government’s reprogramming of sin taxes that were earlier allotted for the program. The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program also faces funding problems.

DPH deputy secretary for public health Pedro Untalan was not immediately available for an interview. Interview questions sent to his office yesterday had yet to be answered.

But Commonwealth Health Center’s medical affairs director, Robin Shearer, expressed concern over the reported suspension of the cancer-related programs, saying that it would be pointless to wait for people to get incurable diseases before they happen.

“This is a big blow to anyone involved in preventive care. I don’t think it’s widely known, but it’s happened,” Shearer said.

“From our aspect, the terrible thing is that they’re [public health programs] not providing the education and services to prevent the diseases,” he added.

Shearer said he would be at the forefront of those who would lobby for the reinstatement of the cancer-related programs when the incoming administration of governor-elect Benigno Fitial takes on the helms of the CNMI government early next year.

He also disclosed that he had met with cancer survivors, whom he said were upset about the purported “short-sightedness” of the department.

“It [suspension of programs] has raised a lot of anger from the community,” said Shearer,
a board member of the Commonwealth Cancer Association.

He said about 75 cases of cancer are diagnosed at the CHC yearly. The hospital’s medical affairs director explained that some diseases, such as cervical and prostate cancer, are curable upon early detection.

The department reportedly circulated a memorandum informing its personnel about the suspension of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Program effective Nov. 3. When asked about this, Shearer said he is not aware of the reason behind the program’s suspension.

But Shearer said the Cancer Registry program has been stopped after funds coming from sin taxes were reprogrammed for a different government project. The Cancer Registry Program aims to form a registry that will track cancer statistics in the CNMI and show what the disease has done to the islands.

“People won’t know what happens and may end up in more serious problems,” Shearer said.

He disclosed, though, that the University of Hawaii has been soliciting a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute for a cancer registry program encompassing all of the United States’ Pacific Islands jurisdictions. Those islands include the CNMI, Guam, Hawaii, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, American Samoa, and the Marshall Islands.

Diabetes Prevention and Control Program’s manager, Lynn Tenorio, confirmed that the program also faces funding woes. Tenorio, however, was not immediately available for an interview to elaborate on details.