Yingluck should grasp this chance to upstage Angelina

The headline splashed on this month’s cover of Time magazine has created waves around the globe. “The Angelina Effect” is a phrase now being repeated in the international media every day. The Hollywood star’s decision to go public about her double mastectomy has raised to new heights awareness about breast and cervical cancer – the top killers of women.

Jolie has revealed that she carries the same BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes that led to her mother’s early death from breast cancer. The actress made the bold decision of having surgery so as to minimise that risk. Also courageous was her decision to go public, which has probably saved many lives. No one would argue that prevention is the way to go.

Nevertheless, doctors will only agree to send patients for genetic testing when they deem it absolutely necessary. And mastectomy is still a relatively uncommon preventative practice. Still, the “Angelina Effect” will help motivate health workers and policymakers to save more lives in the battle against fatal disease.

In Thailand, the headlines should encourage Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to boost efforts to combat the increasing threat posed to women by cancer. Earlier this month the Public Health minister revealed that Yingluck had expressed concern about the importance of healthcare for women. Apparently the ministry had informed her about the alarming figures.

About 10,000 women in Thailand fall prey to cervical cancer each year, with the majority of cases occurring in the 45 to 55 age bracket. This leads to 5,200 deaths from the disease annually, or 14 each day, making it second-most deadly health issue for Thai women.

The ministry’s task is to help women protect themselves against developing the cancer, most cases of which are caused by HPV infection. They also have to work harder to educate the public, especially to encourage some 21 million Thai women aged 30 and above to go for cervical screening. If 80 per cent of these women went for regular testing, that rate of deaths from cervical cancer in Thailand would drop by 61 per cent.

The story is the same for our No 1 killer, breast cancer, with 10,000 women falling victim to the disease every year in Thailand. That’s 20 in every 100,000. Like cervical cancer, breast cancer can be detected and treated at an early stage, giving patients a much higher chance of survival.

However, the majority of Thai women do not get screened for either of these diseases. Although many are aware of the danger, they are often unable to afford the test. Even at a government hospital, a mammogram costs more than Bt1,000. At a private hospital the price can reach Bt5,000.

But what if all women were offered regular, free check-ups for both cancers courtesy of the government? As doctors and the ministry will tell you, such a system would lead to a drastic reduction in deaths of women from cancer.

PM Yingluck may have expressed concern after seeing the alarming figures, but worry alone will not save the lives of her compatriots. On the other hand, taking action by offering free access to regular check-ups for breast and cervical cancers would earn her real gratitude from Thais. It would require a sizeable budget, but it would surely benefit the country much more than the notorious “first-car” policy, or even a high-speed train project. 

The fact is that guarding women’s health is about more than social welfare – it’s an economic issue. Women are important contributors to the country’s economy. As mothers they are also the foundation of society. The country’s progress relies on their wellbeing. By doing more to safeguard it, the government should eventually enjoy a drop in healthcare expenditure.

Yingluck should grasp this opportunity: free-for-all cancer screening for women would be her finest legacy. She has the chance to be remembered as the first Thai premier to achieve something great both for women and for the nation as a whole. Few Thai women will remember the “Angelina Effect” in decades to come, but Yingluck’s name could go down in history. All she has to do is transform her worry into action.