Abstract
Cancer on the African continent is quickly becoming an overt public health crisis due to an aging population and changes in lifestyle. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that a national cancer-control programme should aim to reduce cancer incidence and mortality and improve quality of life of cancer patients, through a national cancer-control plan (NCCP) that is systematic, equitable and evidence-based. Despite this, only 11 countries in Africa have a current NCCP. Participants in a US National Cancer Institute-supported, multi-year, technical assistance programme for cancer-control planning noted three main opportunities to improve how plans are created and implemented: 1) mobilisation of resources and partners for plan implementation; 2) accurate surveillance data to promote better resourcing of NCCPs; and, 3) sustainable and innovative partnership models to strengthen capacity to implement NCCPs. Most countries in the region face similar challenges in the development and implementation of an NCCP, including inadequate human, technical, and financial resources. Collaborative partnerships increase access to evidence-based cancer-control planning tools, mentoring and technical assistance, and have the potential to bridge the capacity gap and catalyse better implementation of NCCPs. Challenges can be overcome by better leveraging these opportunities to address the gaps that inhibit cancer control in Africa.
Highlights
Cancer on the African continent is quickly becoming an overt public health crisis due to an aging population and changes in lifestyle, including increased tobacco and alcohol use, rising obesity and physical inactivity
19 of the 20 countries with the highest incidence of cervical cancer worldwide are in Africa [2]
In order to understand the challenges and priorities in cancer-control planning for curriculum development purposes, Center for Global Health (CGH) administered baseline surveys to participants of the 2017 International Cancer Control Leadership Forum (ICCLF) and 2018 ECHO, prior to each programme's launch, via Google Forms
Summary
Cancer on the African continent is quickly becoming an overt public health crisis due to an aging population and changes in lifestyle, including increased tobacco and alcohol use, rising obesity and physical inactivity. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that a national cancer-control programme should aim to reduce cancer incidence and mortality and improve quality of life of cancer. The African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) released the Cancer Plan for the African Continent 2013–2017, that addressed overarching goals and strategies for priority cancers in the region [7]. Given the priority of reducing mortality from cancer and other non-communicable diseases previously stated, more coverage and resourced implementation of costed NCCPs is necessary to achieve the goals laid out in the WHO, AORTIC and UN plans and declarations
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