Cancer News
WHO unveils new breast cancer blueprint
Framework addresses healthcare access issues and quality of care
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has released a Global Breast
Cancer Initiative Framework outlining a strategic plan to save 2.5 million lives from breast cancer . Launched a few days before World Cancer Day on February 4 , the new programme comprises three pillars of health promotion to meet the framework ’ s objectives — early detection , timely diagnosis , and comprehensive breast cancer management .
Breast cancer is currently the most common cancer among adults , with more than 2.3 million cases detected annually . It is the first or second leading cause of female cancer deaths in 95 percent of countries . Statistics show that breast cancer survival rates vary significantly between and within countries , with around 80 percent of breast and cervical cancer deaths occurring in low- and middle-income nations .
Women ’ s cancers , notably breast cancer , also have terrible effects on future generations . A 2020 study by the International Agency For Research on Cancer stated that approximately 4.4 million female deaths due to cancer cause up to one million children to become orphans , with 25 percent of those deaths caused by breast cancer .
The framework ’ s three pillars of action emphasise early breast cancer detection programmes to enable up to 60 percent of breast cancer cases to be treated early . Breast cancer outcomes can be improved if the disease is diagnosed within 60 days of onset , while proper management ensures that at least 80 percent of patients complete their recommended treatment .
WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that governments and ministries of health should prioritise managing the burden of breast cancer due to its detrimental impacts on individuals , families , communities , health systems , and economies . “ We have the tools and the know-how to prevent breast cancer and save lives . WHO is supporting more than 70 countries , particularly low- and middleincome countries , to detect breast cancer earlier , diagnose it faster , treat it better and give everyone with breast cancer the hope of a cancer-free future ,” he remarked .
Sri Lanka ’ s upcoming palliative care clinic focuses on child cancer patients
Centre prioritises children from impoverished families
Sri Lanka is set to open its first palliative care centre for children diagnosed with cancer , specifically those from poverty-stricken families .
The centre , which aims to improve the country ’ s abysmal child cancer survival rate , has been greeted with relief by low-income families who can ’ t afford local treatment facilities due to the country ’ s ongoing economic crisis and insufficient medical resources .
Known as Suwa Aruna , which translates to “ place of healing ”, the centre is scheduled to open in June as part of a national strategy to reduce the cancer mortality rate by 60 percent following World Health Organization ( WHO ) standards . In addition , the clinic provides endof-life care and accommodations for families who travel far to access the country ’ s already limited oncology care services in the capital city of Colombo .
The centre is financed by the Indira Cancer Trust , a local charity that carries out various initiatives to reduce cancer prevalence . These range from supporting the National Cancer Control Programme in implementing evidence-based cancer prevention and treatment strategies to improving the social , mental , and general quality of life of cancer patients and families through counselling , relaxation therapy , and financial aid .
Strategically located next to the Apeksha Cancer Hospital , the clinic consists of 32 ensuite rooms and a rooftop garden designed for the relaxation of patients and their families . Construction has been funded by foreign organisations such as the Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America , Tennessee ’ s St Jude children ’ s hospital , and technical support from the WHO .
30 ISSUE 2 | 2023 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com