WORLD CANCER DAY: MORTALITY TO REACH 1M PER YEAR BY 2030 – WHO

URGES ALL TO UNITE TO FOSTER UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO CANCER PREVENTION, CARE

By Vincess Okushi

Approximately 882 882  new cancer cases were recorded in 2022.

This situation is disheartening in the WHO African Region with around 573 653 deaths, amounting to 50% of new cancer cases in adults ranging from breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal, and liver cancers. 

This is why the World Health Organization is concerned as it harped on the urgency to tackle, cancer mortality in the region with its projection of reaching about one million deaths per year by 2030. 

Speaking at this year’s 2024 World Cancer Day themed: Together, we challenge those in power”. the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti said it has been estimated that in 20 years, cancer death rates in Africa will overtake the global average of 30%, Its survival rates in the African region stood at 12%, which is considered lower than the average of over 80% in High-Income Countries. 

She added that while marking the third and final year of the cancer campaign, the onus is on the African leaders to prioritize investment, prevention, and care to achieve a just and cancer-free world.

On the 4th of February every year, the world unites to raise awareness on fundamental cancer issues; we at the WHO African Region connect with the public in spearheading this annual awareness day and beyond. 
Between 2022 and 2024, the focus of World Cancer Day is to help “Close the cancer gap.” 

This year’s theme is encouraging cancer prevention and care access as it reinforces all persons and groups’ universal right to health.  We believe that regardless of socioeconomic status, geographic location, age, and gender, every person must be afforded an equal chance at the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. 

We call on the region’s countries, communities, partners, and civil society to unite and foster universal access to cancer prevention and care. 
Stakeholders must identify feasible priorities, implement evidence-based population-wide interventions, and invest in cancer control. 

Leaders are responsible for ensuring that cancer prevention and care deploy technologies and therapies available at low cost to affected persons and their families, which are value for money. Furthermore, countries should strengthen information systems to gather quality data for decision-making. 

We reiterate that civil society, especially organizations of cancer survivors or persons with lived cancer experiences, are critical in the fight against cancer in Africa. Such a whole-of-society approach to cancer prevention and care is the essence of this year’s World Cancer Day theme. “Together, we challenge those in power” to go the extra mile for a cancer-free Africa!

Moeti further charged Countries to use the updated WHO Best Buys, the facilitative tool designed to enable governments to select lifesaving policies and interventions for non-communicable diseases. 

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