The state can save more than a quarter of the enormous costs of treating skin cancer patients

An economic report published on the occasion of Skin Cancer Awareness Week - a disease whose main cause is uncontrolled exposure to the sun - states that simple actions such as raising awareness, education, information and investing in shading can save lives - and save hundreds of millions a year to the state coffers.

"It is our duty and our responsibility"

Meirav Cohen

20/06/2022

Monday, 20 June 2022, 00:31 Updated: 08:49

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

In the video: A press conference by the heads of the Ministry of Health on the day of the fight against cancer (Photo: GPO, edited by: Aviad Ballali)

Raising awareness of skin cancer diseases and increasing simple means of education, information, and shading can save the country more than NIS 400 million each year in late treatment of skin cancer patients, according to an economic report for the Israeli Skin Cancer Association, presented today (Monday) by the Health Committee. Knesset.

Every month about 1,000 new skin cancer patients are diagnosed and every month about 15 people die from the disease.

International data show that 90% of melanoma cases in the world are caused by uncontrolled sun exposure, so skin cancer is one of the few diseases that we can prevent - at least in part - with proper awareness.

In 2014 the State Comptroller's report included recommendations and suggestions that would help overcome the challenges of the sun.

Some have been implemented, and some have not yet.

"The State of Israel spends about NIS 1.184 billion a year on treating melanoma patients."

Cohen Tuval (Photo: PR)

"The State of Israel currently spends about NIS 1.184 billion a year on treating melanoma patients alone," according to a study that estimated the economic burden of the disease on the state coffers.

Inbal Cohen Tuval, CEO of the Israeli Skin Cancer Association, explains.

The study was conducted for the Israeli Skin Cancer Association, by Dr. Roi Barnea, of the Assuta Institute for Health Services Research, headed by Prof. Shuki Shemer.

According to Cohen-Tuval, the study "shows that every melanoma patient costs the state about a million shekels a year, and these costs can be saved with simple means of shading, information and education."

The economic research shows that with the help of simple steps mentioned earlier, it is possible to save the state coffers about 25% -35% of the annual expenditure. "Cohen-Tuval adds." Regarding shading, we are talking about shading in public places, such as schools, kindergartens, playgrounds .

With regard to education, leadership in schools and kindergartens, she went on breaks with a hat and sunscreen.

"Going on trips and activities in less hot hours, with lower radiation data, and that the national information will also include the education system, with the goal that every child knows and recognizes from a young age the sun damage and the effects of this damage on the skin."

More on Walla!

Skin cancer is avoided: free checkpoints will be set up off the coast of Israel

To the full article

"There are many actions that can be taken to prevent the disease."

Silman (Photo: Knesset Spokeswoman, Danny Shem Tov, Knesset Spokeswoman)

Today, the first discussion will be held in the Knesset's Health Committee, initiated by the committee's chairman, MK Idit Silman, who calls for the promotion of a national plan in favor of raising awareness and preventing the disease.

The plan offers simple steps, in the hope that these will lead to a significant change in the extent of patients with the disease and the economic scope of state spending on the subject.

"It is important to emphasize that in skin cancer there are many actions, some even very simple, that can be done to prevent the disease and detect it at an early stage," says MK Silman. .

_

• news

• News in Israel

• health

Tags

• skin cancer

• Edith Silman

• Cancer Patients