Residents are worried as 50% of deaths in the commune are due to cancer.

(Baonghean)The people of Dien Phong commune (Dien Chau district) are truly bewildered and worried about this terrible disease, because in just the first three months of 2017, the number of people dying from cancer in this locality accounted for up to 50%.

Three years have passed since Mr. CVD from Duong Tien hamlet, Dien Phong commune (Dien Chau district) passed away, but his relatives and neighbors still cannot forget the image of him struggling and in pain during his last days. Everything happened so quickly; Mr. D.'s liver cancer was discovered after he experienced excruciating abdominal pain and went to the hospital for examination.

Quang, D.'s younger brother, recalled that only when he knew he didn't have long to live did D. reveal that he had terminal cancer.

Surgery to remove a tumor for a cancer patient at Nghe An Oncology Hospital. Photo: PV

Having entered stage 3 of cervical cancer, and with her health deteriorating, Thao, a patient from Tay Ho hamlet, Dien Phong commune, is not most worried about her physical pain but about money.

Diagnosed with the disease in 2010, over the past seven years, she and her family have visited K Hospital in Hanoi countless times for treatment. Each treatment trip cost millions of dong. The treatment was so expensive that, out of desperation, she had considered giving up many times.

According to statistics from the People's Committee of Dien Phong commune, in 2015, out of 30 deaths in the commune, 4 were due to cancer; in 2016, the number of deaths was 31, but the number of deaths due to cancer increased to 9; in the first three months of 2017, out of 8 deaths in the commune, 4 were cancer patients (accounting for 50%). The majority of those who died were between 50 and 70 years old. Furthermore, nearly 10 people are currently undergoing treatment for terminal cancer.

Having to repeatedly "bid farewell to young people," Mr. Tran Ngoc Thanh (70 years old) in Nha Nghi hamlet couldn't help but feel frightened: "Born and raised in this commune, I have never seen so many people die from cancer." From this reality, many people expressed worry and wondered what the cause was.

Beyond the lush green cornfields lies Nha Nghi hamlet – one of the two hamlets with the highest number of cancer deaths in Dien Phong commune. Photo: CN

It has been found that Dien Phong commune has 7 hamlets, but only 2 hamlets have a high incidence of cancer: Nha Nghi hamlet and Duong Tien hamlet. These two hamlets are located close to the villagers' agricultural fields. Specifically, in Duong Tien hamlet, since before Tet (Lunar New Year), two people have died from cancer.

This includes the cases of Mr. Pham Hung, over 75 years old, and Mr. Pham Thanh (53 years old), both of whom died from lung cancer. In addition, there is the case of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nam, who also had terminal stomach cancer; Mr. Tinh and Mr. Chat, next-door neighbors, also suffered from stomach cancer... Mr. Le Canh Hoa from Duong Tien hamlet was shocked: “Every time I go back to my hometown, I hear people talking about this person or that person having terminal cancer. I hope the authorities will soon find the cause.”

Farmers in Dien Phong have used a lot of herbicides when growing peanuts. Photo: Internet.

Notably, in Dien Phong commune, there is no clean water supply from a water treatment plant. For a long time, most households have built rainwater tanks to store water, but mainly only use it for cooking. Washing, processing ingredients, and bathing still rely on water from open or drilled wells. Therefore, the people here earnestly hope to have access to clean, hygienic water. Because cancer cases mainly occur among residents of the two hamlets bordering the rice fields, many suspect that the water source may be contaminated, especially since the villagers started using herbicides on the fields, which has led to an increase in cancer cases.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuong, Secretary of the Dien Phong Commune Party Committee, said: "Currently, the commune is preparing a proposal to request budget support for the construction of a clean water system and hopes for early approval. Otherwise, if things continue like this, the people will have no motivation to do business and develop the economy."

Regarding the local health station, the commune is requesting that the station review and prepare a detailed report to reflect the cancer situation to the district health center. Hopefully, in the near future, the relevant authorities will conduct inspections and surveys and provide conclusions to alleviate the concerns of the people as soon as possible.

Canh Nam