'Cancer deaths will jump'
Cancer-related deaths in Myanmar and other developing countries are expected to double within two years, Cancer Specialist Prof Dr Soe Aung said in a knowledge-sharing seminar on cancer preventive measures.
Death rates from cancer have been rising every year in Myanmar. Currently, 150 out of 100,000 people suffer from cancer in the country. In the developing countries including Myanmar, over three million people die of cancer every year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported.
Some 35 per cent of cancer-related deaths are attributed to food; with 30 per cent due to cigarettes and tobacco; 10 per cent to viruses; and 7 per cent to diseases stemming from sexual activities, according to the WHO report.
Three hospitals – Yangon General, Mandalay General and Sao San Tun Hospital – take care of cancer patients in Myanmar. The three receive more than 7,000 patients every year.
According to a 2012 report, “Cancer Preview”, in the Asia Pacific Journal, death rates among men in Myanmar are third highest in Southeast Asia, and women fifth highest in the region.
‘Power price rise will hit food’
An increase in electricity prices will cause food manufacturing costs to rise and result in rising food prices, said Zaw Win Min, chairperson of Myanmar Food Processors & Exporters Association last Friday.
Speaking at the 3rd anniversary of the association, Zaw Min Win voiced concern for the food industry due to the hike in power prices, which has doubled for businesses.
“For the manufacturers, a rise in electricity costs up to 150 kyat per unit will cause them to raise prices of food products on the market,” said Zaw Min Win. “If the electrical power failures also occur as usual, food manufactures will suffer losses.”
The Ministry of Electric Power announced last week that businesses using 1 to 5,000 units are required to pay 100 kyat (US$0.1) per unit while those using 5,001 units or above need to pay 150 kyat (US$0.15) per unit as of this month. They were previously charged 75 kyat per unit.
Zaw Min Win said that rising costs would make local food products less competitive than foreign food makers, especially when the Asean free-trade agreement takes effect in 2015. He said local food businesses urgently needed to improve the quality of their foods and management. – Eleven Media
Factories told to install wastewater systems
Some 78 factories have been instructed to install wastewater treatment systems by the year’s end, a Yangon City Development Committee official said.
Than Lwin Oo, head of pollution control and cleaning, said out of 3,264 factories in the 24 industrial zones in Yangon, 207 released wastewater into waterways. Some 109 of these factories treated the water, but 78 others did not abide by standards set by the YCDC.
In September, it instructed these 78 factories to install a system to treat wastewater and 49 factories replied that they were doing this – and would comply by the end of this month.
During the survey, YCDC found that four factories had stopped operating and five out of twenty-five factories had been abiding by the standard it set. The other 19 factories were told to install the new system by year’s end.
Than Lwin Oo said city officials would confiscate business licences for one to 3 months if the factories fail to do this.
Residents living near industrial zones have to endure bad smells and water pollution after factories release wastewater without treating it. – Eleven Media
