Jordan is about to see an increase in the rate of non-communicable diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The head of the Department of Chest Diseases and intensive care at the King Hussein Cancer Centre, Dr Firas Al-Hawari, said that non-communicable diseases include heart diseases, diabetes, cancer and respiratory diseases. He pointed out that 50% of deaths in the Kingdom is directly linked to smoking.
Dr Al-Hawari, who is also director of the Cancer Office at the Al-Hussein Centre, said that the WHO data show that 29 deaths a week in Jordan are due to smoking.
He said that any rise in the rates of non-communicable diseases will also increase the pressure on the annual health budget, reported the Petra News Agency.
The cost of treating a cancer patient in the Kingdom is estimated to start at about JOD30,000 (US$42,336) and may exceed JOD100,000 in some cases. This is borne by the government, which provides treatment for citizens free of charge.
Dr Al-Hawari presented data on cancer patients in the Kingdom, saying that according to the National Register, more than 40% of 5,400 cases were a direct result of smoking.
He also stressed the importance of implementing the national strategy to combat smoking. “Smoking is a cause of lung, colon, head, neck, blood and bladder cancers,” he said, estimating the number of smokers at about 65% of Jordan’s population. M
JOD1 = US$1.41