Eighty percent of bus crews cancer-prone

Irangika RANGE

A recent survey conducted by the National Cancer Control Programme in Sri Lanka has revealed that 80 percent of bus drivers and conductors are vulnerable to oral cancer.

National Transport Commission (NTC) chairman Roshan Gunawardene told the Daily News that excessive chewing of betel and smoking cigarettes by drivers and conductors throughout the journey and while waiting for their next turn have been identified as main reasons for this vulnerability.

Taking this situation into consideration, the NTC has launched an awareness and clinical programme to educate private bus drivers and conductors on causes of oral cancer and preventive care, Gunawardena said.

As an initiative, the NTC conducted free medical tests on bus crews at the Bastian Mawatha main bus terminal recently and diagnosed two persons, a bus driver and an assistant, with pre-symptoms of oral cancer.

Gunawardena said the NTC expects to conduct the free check-ups at countrywide bus terminals in the future.

The chairman said that while smoking inside buses has been almost totally eliminated, chewing tobacco is a common practice among drivers and conductors as an alternative to smoking.

Gunawardana pointed out that these habits increase the risk of oral cancer. "It has become a threat to their lives," he said.

Oral cancer is on a dangerous upward curve in Sri Lanka, affecting youth in the prime of their lives and persons of middle and old age.

It is largely due to bad habits acquired from adolescence that continued into middle age and old age. These habits include, smoking (cigarettes, beedi or cigars), drinking (arrack, kasippu) and betel chewing (with or without tobacco).

Chewing betel and keeping the chew in the mouth for a long time destroys the mucus. Thereafter, the muscles in the mouth harden leading to cancers.

The NTC paid attention to raising the living standards of private bus drivers and conductors' as it is necessary for the improvement of the passenger transport service.