South Sudan has opened its first population-based cancer registry at Juba Teaching Hospital, giving the country its first system for counting cancer cases rather than relying on estimates.
The registry was set up by the Ministry of Health and the South Sudan Cancer Network with support from the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the African Cancer Registry Network, according to a statement from the WHO Regional Office for Africa. Xinhua reported that it was launched on November 5.
Why does South Sudan need a cancer registry?
Until now the country’s cancer burden has been estimated from modelled rather than observed data. IARC estimated more than 8,000 new cancer cases and more than 5,000 deaths in South Sudan in 2024, making cancer one of the leading causes of premature death and disability, the statement said.
“For quite too long we have been concerned about the growing burden of cancer in our country,” said Dak Duop Bichok, the health minister. The biggest challenge, he said, had been the lack of reliable national data on how many people were affected and by which cancers. Hospitals diagnosed cases, but their ability to collect, organise and report that information remained limited.
Bichok said the registry would show which cancers were most common and which groups were most at risk, helping the government and its partners plan services and direct resources.
What support is WHO providing?
WHO provided office furniture and equipment, including computers and printers, and will support data-collection software and give technical guidance to the registry team, the statement said.
“The registry will serve as a critical tool for planning and strengthening comprehensive cancer services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and palliative care,” said Mutale Nsakashalo, cluster lead for health programmes at WHO South Sudan.
The registry addresses only part of the gap. Anthony Lupai, director-general of Juba Teaching Hospital, told Xinhua that the country still lacks the facilities and equipment needed for comprehensive cancer treatment.
What happens next?
The Juba registry will collect data on cancer types, distribution and trends in the capital, which officials hope will guide national policy. South Sudan’s health system relies heavily on external funding, and data gaps have also hampered other programmes, as WHO has warned elsewhere in the region over missing immunisation data in Nigeria.
The South Sudan Ministry of Health, in a separate step, has also validated new national immunisation guidelines with WHO support.
FAQ
Where is South Sudan’s first cancer registry?
The Juba Population-Based Cancer Registry is based at Juba Teaching Hospital in the capital, Juba.
How many people get cancer in South Sudan?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated more than 8,000 new cases and more than 5,000 deaths in 2024. The registry is meant to replace such estimates with observed data.
Who supports the South Sudan cancer registry?
The registry was set up by the Ministry of Health and the South Sudan Cancer Network, with support from WHO, IARC and the African Cancer Registry Network.
