What are the health needs and challenges?

Cancer has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Globally, it kills more than 8.2 million people every year, which is more than the total fatalities from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.  The majority of deaths occur in LMICs and it is projected that more than 9 million people in these countries will lose their battle with cancer annually by 2030.  In addition to demographic and lifestyle changes, LMICs suffer from a poor or non-existent cancer control infrastructure as well as a shortage of sufficiently trained human resources. This partnership is the first collaboration of its kind and will open further possibilities for joint public-private efforts to curb cancer.

Partnership activities and how they address needs and challenges

IFPMA and its members, with an additional contribution from Bristol-Myers Squibb, support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) to promote comprehensive cancer control. It will focus on critical areas including awareness raising, resource mobilization, and capacity building.

This collaboration is centred on helping to ensure cancer is a health priority at national and global levels, and supporting stronger health system capacities to ensure overall cancer information and care is available in low and middle income countries (LMICs).

This initiative will help IAEA’s PACT programme engage with private partnerships to support and raise funds for comprehensive cancer control projects and to implement communication and awareness raising strategies in LMICs. The two organizations will also collaborate on training and educating the healthcare workforce in LMICs to improve cancer control and invest in healthcare solutions.