ESMO emphasises importance of cancer on global health agenda at WHA

LUGANO, 23 May 2018 – At the World Health Assembly in Geneva, ESMO delivered two statements positioning cancer as a priority on the WHO global agenda.

ESMO advocated the strengthening of health systems to achieve Universal Health Coverage and to provide essential secondary healthcare services to the millions of cancer patients who die prematurely due to lack of access to appropriate treatment.

The widespread availability of secondary healthcare services to cancer patients depends on the presence of sufficient numbers of well-trained oncology professionals with sustainable access to the resources required to perform surgery, deliver radiotherapy, administer cancer treatments, provide supportive and palliative care. ESMO is active in many of these areas and able to support individual Member States’ efforts.

Alexandru Eniu, ESMO Global Policy Committee Chair: “ESMO has worked with the WHO for over 15 years to improve cancer care worldwide. The platform we were given to talk about cancer illustrates how prominent the topic is becoming on the global health agenda and confirms the relevance of our continued collaboration.”

ESMO President Josep Tabernero: “It was a privilege for us to be able to speak directly to the international community about the pressing global health issue that is cancer. ESMO is ready to support the WHO and Member States in strengthening the medical oncology workforce and in identifying the most cost-effective interventions and treatments that can immediately help reduce the number of cancer deaths worldwide.”

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ESMO is the leading professional organisation for medical oncology. With 18,000 members representing oncology professionals from 150 countries worldwide, ESMO is the society of reference for oncology education and information.

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