Health And Development: A Historical Survey Of Prevention And Treatment Of Esophageal Cancer In Linxian County

As an old revolutionary base,Linxian county(now Linzhou city)is a mountainous area with less land and more mountains,thin soil and thick stones.Lin county is located in Taihang Mountain in the northwest of Henan Province,bordering Shanxi Province in the West and Hebei Province in the north.It is surrounded by many mountains,with vertical and horizontal ditches and mountains,and there is a shortage of water resources.Agriculture is dominated by corn and wheat,with less oil crops and vegetables and less cultivated land per capita.Before the founding of the People’s Republic of China,the people of Linxian County lived in poverty,lacked medical treatment and medicine,the cultural and health conditions were extremely backward,and the incidence of esophageal cancer was relatively serious.Esophageal cancer is the first cause of death of the population of Linxian County,is a malignant tumor of the esophagus.Ordinary people often call it "esophageal disease","esophageal cancer",and "diaphragm disease".There is a widespread fear of cancer among the masses,and there are many pessimistic remarks circulating,such as "The diaphragm is a guest invited by the king of Yama","Whoever has this disease has a limited life expectancy and a fixed death date." There is also a saying that "tight March,slow August,eat autumn and do not eat wheat",and some people also say,"If you have esophageal cancer,you will be worried when you see the old food,although you will not die,and your life will be in the hands of Yama".Esophageal cancer puts a lot of pressure on the masses.Before the 1950 s,Linxian not only lacked drugs and technologies for diagnosing and treating esophageal cancer,but the people of Linxian County did not understand the cause,and even believed that esophageal cancer was the torture and punishment of people by heaven,and there were superstitions and fears about esophageal cancer among the masses.Esophageal cancer not only seriously threatens the life and health of the people,but also hinders the economic and social development and progress of Linxian County,brings serious harm to the production,life and mental health of the people in Linxian County,and even affects the political identity of the people at the bottom of Linxian County to the party and the state.After the founding of the People’s Republic of China,the Communist Party of China and the people’s government attached importance to protecting the people’s right to life and health,and the state implemented the principle of "prevention first" from top to bottom.In the context of the central government’s emphasis on endemic diseases,Yang Gui,secretary of the Linxian County Party Committee,reflected on the major disease of esophageal cancer at the 1957 National Mountain Forum,which received the attention of Premier Zhou Enlai.Premier Zhou Enlai said,"Tumors are common diseases and frequent diseases,and we must study them,set up ambitions,and overcome tumors." The prevention and treatment needs of esophageal cancer in Linxian County have received attention and help from the central government.In 1959,the Beijing medical team went deep into and rooted in Linxian County,Henan Province,where the incidence of esophageal cancer was high,to carry out research,screening and diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer,and it was not until the 1990 s that these medical teams left Linxian County one after another.The Party Central Committee and the People’s Government of Henan Province sent medical teams to Linxian County as the site for the prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer,and helped Linxian County,Henan Province to establish the Institute of Prevention and Control of Esophageal Cancer,actively explore the causes of esophageal cancer and propose five effective anti-cancer measures.It not only changed the eating habits of the people of Linxian County,reduced the incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer,but also promoted the generation of the people’s awareness of the party and the state identity of the people of Linxian County,thus laying a solid foundation for the economic and social development of Linxian County.Therefore,the prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer is not only an unprecedented scientific research work in China,but also a mass work with political significance,and it is also a work that embodies the party’s leadership ability,mobilization ability and organizational ability.