Health leaders call for cancer resolution assembly in 2017

250 global cancer and health leaders have gathered at the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit (WCLS) to call for a World Health Assembly (WHA) cancer resolution in 2017.

This is to help meet the World Health Organisation’s target of a 25% reduction in premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 2025 and to aid countries who are seeking guidance on the set-up of quality national cancer programmes.

The resolution has been driven by a report which identifies the major cancer control challenges that must be immediately addressed.

The World Cancer Declaration Progress Report 2016 has been released by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). It regards the progress made in key areas for cancer control and the further efforts still needed to reduce the impact of cancer. These include, extending tobacco control to the full implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, addressing the worldwide shortage in oncology health workers, guaranteeing equity of access to cancer diagnosis, treatment and care and more.

Professor Tezer Kutluk, UICC president said: “With just under 10 years left to meet the target of reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by 25 %, governments and policy-makers must act now to ensure equitable access to services to allow people to live with and survive cancer. With today’s publication of the World Cancer Declaration Progress Report 2016, UICC is calling upon leaders worldwide to learn from the cancer control successes seen to date, but also ensure sufficient resources and focus to strengthen health systems for the significant challenges that the ongoing rise in cancer cases poses.”

One in three people are affected by cancer worldwide and the disease kills more than eight million people every year. From this, four million die prematurely, a figure that is estimated to rise to six million by 2025 unless further action is taken to reduce disease rates.