Working together to beat cancer

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The rising number of cancer cases is shaping up to be a major national health issue as the growing cancer burden continues to put tremendous physical, emotional, and financial strain on people with cancer, communities, and the country’s health care system.

A landmark health law, the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) was signed into law four years ago. While there has been some progress, much remains to be done in bridging cancer care gaps.

Implementation of key NICCA provisions meant to transform cancer care, strengthen health systems capacities, increase survivorship, improve health outcomes and well-being of cancer patients, needs to be advanced and accelerated.

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For cancer patients and their families, every day is precious and priceless. They urgently need to benefit from the implementation of key NICCA provisions; without its accelerated implementation, they may not have a tomorrow to look forward to.

The launch of the “We Can Beat Cancer Together: A Call for Solidarity Against Cancer” campaign highlights multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder collaboration as key to help reduce the catastrophic costs of cancer treatment and to provide better access to screening, essential life-saving medicines, and vaccines, innovative treatment modalities, more effective palliative care, and pain management, follow up, rehabilitation and survivorship care or bereavement care.

Some of the developments being pushed include investments in cancer programs and services to improve detection and treatment. Most cancers today are now curable if detected early due to regular screening and optimal treatment modalities are implemented.

Delayed diagnosis leads to cancer patients being seen at advanced stages, which translates to more expensive treatment costs and poorer health outcomes.

Signatories also highlighted the need to intensify and expand public and private collaboration, especially in the areas of health promotion, early diagnosis, shared care, access to essential, life-saving medicines and innovator drugs, support for practical needs and reduction of financial hardships brought on by the catastrophic costs of treatment.

The campaign also calls for the government to increase funding and progressively implement the provisions of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, mindful of the need to act with urgency, because cancer does not wait.

Patients from middle-income families and OFW families, who become financially challenged during cancer treatment, should not be deprived of necessary financial support and medical assistance, in their treatment journey. Their right to survive and to live a meaningful and productive life should be protected, just as fiercely.

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