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Bill seeks to help raise oral cancer awareness
Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan) has introduced a bill to provide funding to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. Dental Clinic and the Commonwealth Cancer Association for the prevention of oral cancer. The funding would also cover care, treatment, diagnosis, and other related patient services for the disease.
House Bill 19-200 aims to appropriate $400,000 from the Cancer Fund Special Account to expand and support CHCC and CCA’s various oral cancer awareness, detection, and prevention programs.
The CHCC dental clinic is the only public health dental clinic in the CNMI that tries to address oral and primary care, community-based prevention programs for underprivileged individuals, and other services that would establish or expand oral health.
“The Legislature further finds that oral cancer screenings for all patients seen at the CHCC Dental Clinic in response to the high rate of oral cancer in the CNMI,” wrote Demapan on his bill that was introduced last Monday.
“Studies show that early detection of cancer and precancerous tissue result in better treatment outcomes. Therefore, it is vital that our community is able to access oral health services and be provided the much-needed education regarding oral cancer prevention and detection.”
CCA promotes awareness on the different types of cancers and have various programs when it comes to information dissemination as well as providing patient support, care, and treatment.
“Therefore, it is vital to ensure the community to have the resources and support needed to increase cancer awareness and other support services to battle this deadly disease,” said Demapan.
CHCC Dental Clinic will receive $100,000 for its operations while $300,000 will be given to CCA for its patient support services with the First and Second Senatorial Districts, Rota and Tinian, allocated $50,000 each.
Oral cancer was listed as the third leading type of cancer in the CNMI where 57 cases have been detected since 2007, with 39 having already died. Studies showed that betel nut chewing also causes cancer, hence Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ decision to sign HB 19-65.
Rep. Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) authored HB 19-65 that prohibits the sale, offer or giving of areca nut (betel nut) to minors. It became Public Law 19-66. Some in the CNMI start chewing as early as 12 years old, based on surveys and separate studies done in the Commonwealth.
