African countries urged to include cancer in health policy

African countries urged to include cancer in health policy

November 12, 2009
Cancer, he said, was killing more people in the developing world than HIV and AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined and that if Africa did not set its priorities right its effects would be devastating.

AORTIC is an African based non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion of cancer control, diagnosis, treatment and palliation in Africa.

The meeting is to stem the tide of the pandemic with key terms that address the full cancer control continuum including cancer treatment, research and capacity building.

The Tanzanian President said cancer was emerging as a major health problem in middle and low income countries where 70 percent of all cancer deaths are expected to occur.

The Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society, Dr. Otis Brawley, described the global cancer burden as a public health paradox because though it was largely preventable and highly treatable when detected early it was expected to be the leading cause of death world wide by 2010.

He said the fight could only be effective if cancer was given priority at the highest decision-making levels and prominently positioned on Africa's health agenda.

Mr. Christopher Wild, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, praised the vital role of AORTIC and called for a broader activity which compasses cancer prevention to match the effort in improving clinical care because only with that combined approach will the fight be successful in reducing the cancer burden.

GNA
By Audrey Dekalu, GNA special Correspondent, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania