BANGKOK, 6 July 2012 – The Public Health Ministry is determined to lower the number of liver and gallbladder cancer patients in the country’s northeast, which was recognized as the highest in the world.
Deputy Health Ministry Surawit Khonsomboon stated that the Public Health Ministry has declared a fight against liver and gallbladder cancer as its key strategy and the main agenda for the residents of the northeast.
According to Mr. Surawit, the number of liver and gallbladder cancer patients in Thailand’s northeastern region is the highest in the world, at the ratio of 40 patients to 100,000 citizens.
The main cause of such a shocking number is the locals’ appreciation for semi-cooked fresh water fish, which tends to carry Trematodes or Fluke that can cause cancer.
The Deputy Health Minister believes that by making the issue an agenda for the Northeast, the Ministry aims to encourage locals to expand their adoption of the sufficiency economy philosophy into the areas of health.
He noted that in order to successfully fight liver and gallbladder cancer, strong collaboration from Northeasterners is mandatory, especially when it comes to the stop in the consumption of raw or semi-cooked food.
