World Cancer Declaration sets ambitious goals for 2020
FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2008
Policymakers, leaders and health experts have adopted a global plan aimed at tackling cancer in developing countries.
More than 60 delegates met to discuss the World Cancer Declaration, which contains 11 targets for 2020 and outlines steps that need to be taken in order for these to be met.
The declaration is designed to be used as a template by governments and other groups to help them devise their own anti-cancer plans.
The time is right to make cancer control a development priority.
- Dr Margaret Chan, director-general, World Health Organisation
Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), told delegates at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva that the growing number of cancer cases in less affluent countries was "an impending disaster" and that "the time is right to make cancer control a development priority".
The experts believe that up to a third of cancer cases in the developing world could be prevented through the adoption of their suggestions, and a further third of cases could be effectively treated if detected early enough.
Their targets include drops in global tobacco consumption, obesity and alcohol intake; efforts to dispel myths and misconceptions about cancer; and universal vaccination programmes for hepatitis B - which can cause liver cancer - and human papillomavirus - which is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer.
They also raised the possibility of a global fund to fight cancer, similar to those for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
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