United against cancer: prevention to end-of-life care-highlights from the Uganda Cancer Institute-Palliative Care Association of Uganda Joint International Conference on Cancer and Palliative Care and the 7th Palliative Care Conference, 24-25 August 2017, Kampala, Uganda.

Warren Phipps,Jackson Orem,Mwazi Batuli,Elizabeth Namukwaya,Henry Ddungu,Fatia Kiyange,Nixon Niyonzima,Noleb Mugisha,Mark Mwesiga,Harriet Kebirungi,Rose Kiwanuka,Julia Downing,Eddie Mwebesa,James Kafeero

doi:10.3332/ecancer.2017.790

Warren Phipps, Jackson Orem + Show 12 more

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https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2017.790

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Abstract

The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) and the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) jointly hosted an international conference on cancer and palliative care in August 2017 in Kampala, Uganda. At the heart of the conference rested a common commitment to see patient care improved across Uganda and the region. The theme – United Against Cancer: Prevention to End-of-Life Care – reflected this joint vision and the drive to remember that cancer care should include prevention, early diagnosis and screening, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. The conference brought together 451 delegates from 17 countries. The key themes of the conference included: the importance of the World Health Assembly Resolutions on Palliative Care (2014) and cancer care (2017); the need to develop a National Cancer Control Programme; strategies for effective cancer diagnosis and treatment in low- and middle-income countries; advocacy, human rights and access to essential medicines, including access to opioids and nurse prescribing; paediatric care; leadership and commitment; collaboration; resources (financial and human), the recognition that palliative care is not limited to cancer care and the importance of learning from each other. The conference also gave the opportunity to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the UCI, with a celebration dinner attended by the Minister of Health and the US Ambassador. Participants reported that the conference was a forum that updated them in all aspects of cancer and palliative care, which challenged their knowledge, and was enlightening in terms of current treatment options for individuals with cancer. The benefits of having a joint conference were recognised, allowing for further networking between cancer and palliative care organisations. This conference, highlighting many developments in cancer and palliative care, served as a unique opportunity to bring people together and unite them in developing cancer and palliative care.

Highlights

Having a National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) is important as it ‘offers the most rational means of achieving a substantial degree of cancer control, even where resources are severely limited’ [1]
At the heart of this joint Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI)–Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) conference was the commitment to improve the provision of cancer care and palliative care within Uganda and Eastern Africa, with a desire to share and learn from each other
Service development, integration, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health systems strengthening at the global, regional and national levels have contributed towards this, along with the support of government and other stakeholders, and the commitment demonstrated by those working in cancer and palliative care

Summary

Introduction

Having a National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) is important as it ‘offers the most rational means of achieving a substantial degree of cancer control, even where resources are severely limited’ [1]. It calls for the development, implementation and monitoring of programmes at all levels of cancer control, i.e. prevention, early detection and screening, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care and across all age groups, highlighting the need for cancer treatment for children [6].

Results

Conclusion