Forum calls for CSO involvement in cancer awareness

Ghana's representative at the London Global Cancer Week celebration, Dr (Mrs) Beatrice Wiafe Addai, has called for increased involvement of civil society in awareness creation about cancers.

She explained that through such involvement, the spectrum for accelerated results in the prevention of cancers would be enhanced.

Participants from across the globe at the week-long event discussed several topics including cancer in an age of universal health coverage and integrating cancer services into universal health coverage.

They were unanimous that central governments in developing economies should partner the private sector for a stronger drive against cancers.

Targets
A statement from Breast Care International (BCI), a civil society organisation, said Dr Wiafe Addai, who was the sole representative of Africa at the celebration said research was pivotal and critical to cancer control and management especially in developing economies, in furtherance of achieving universal health coverage, a key target in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Cancer registry

Dr Wiafe Addai, who doubles as the CEO for Peace and Love Hospital and President of BCl, regretted the absence of a credible, centralised cancer registry in most developing countries from which researchers and healthcare practitioners could draw, for informed policy making and implementation.

She said, locally, BCI had successfully championed an intense awareness creation programme on cancers, notably breast cancer, inspite of some challenges.