Within Thailand, especially the Northeastern region, fish is a popular food that is commonly consumed by a majority of the population. Found in a variety of well-known dishes and meals, such as ปลากะพงขาวนึ่งมะนาว (Pla Kapong Khao Neung Manao) and ปลาเผา (Pla Plo), fish is an essential component of the Thai diet. However despite its importance, fish poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of the Thai population. More specifically, Thailand faces the problem of liver cancer resulting from the consumption of raw fish. Liver cancer is linked to a parasite known as opisthorchiasis, or a liver fluke, which is found in fresh water fish; when a person consumes a raw or under cooked fish containing opisthorchiasis, the parasite then makes its way into their liver and causes liver cancer (Fernquest 2012).
Liver cancer and the consumption of fish containing liver flukes has become an increasing concern over the past few years. Ranking 7th as a cause of death in Thailand, liver cancer has roughly 23,000 new cases annually “and 87% of them are in an advanced stage” (Fernquest 2012). Because of this, a number of initiatives and programs have been developed in order to educate the population about the health risks associated with consuming raw and undercooked fresh-water fish. One of these initiatives involves a campaign started by youth volunteers in two provinces within Northeastern Thailand. The campaign targets young elementary and kindergarten children, providing education on proper nutrition and stopping the consumption of under cooked and raw fish (Fernquest 2012). Additionally, from my personal experience learning about opisthorchiasis at Khon Kaen University, children and young adults seem to be the main target in providing education and awareness to raw fish consumption, because the alteration of their eating habits seem to have the greatest affect in reducing prevalence. Another initiative is the Lawa Project, which was an intervention strategy implemented in the Lawa Lake area of Khon Kaen, in order to reduce infection rates. The initiative involved the use of “anthelminthic treatment, novel intensive health education methods both in the communities and in schools, ecosystem monitoring and active community participation”, and ultimately reduced infection rates by about one third (Sripa et al. 2015).
Ultimately, while liver cancer resulting from consuming raw or under cooked fish is a growing concern in Thailand, steps are being taken to bring awareness to the problem and reduce is prevalence. Targeting young children in terms of health education and promotion of healthy eating habits has also proven to be particularly beneficial.
Healthy Perspectives 