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IAEA’s Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) Partners with IFPMA on Comprehensive Cancer Control

IFPMA, with an additional contribution from Bristol-Myers Squibb, support the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) to promote comprehensive cancer control.

IAEA and IFPMA join forces in the area of comprehensive cancer control. This collaboration is centered 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 helps the IAEA’ engage in strategic public-private partnerships to support and raise funds for the implementation of comprehensive cancer control projects and implement communication and awareness raising strategies for resource mobilization.

The two organisations also collaborate on training and education of the health workforce in the area of comprehensive cancer control to strengthen health systems response to the cancer burden.

Cancer has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Globally, it kills more than 8.2 million people every year. The majority of deaths occur in LMICs, and the projections indicate that in these countries, by 2030 more than 9 million people are expected to lose their battle with cancer annually. In addition to demographic and lifestyle changes, LMICs suffer from a poor or non-existent cancer control infrastructure as well as shortage of properly trained human resources.

Initial collaborative efforts will be in the area of training and education and will also leverage additional contributions to the initiative from Bristol-Myers Squibb. The initiative will help strengthen the Virtual University for Cancer Control (VUCCnet) – a PACT e-learning platform programme that offers countries customized, accessible, high-quality, and freely available training across all stages of the cancer care continuum. VUCCnet envisages courses designed to upgrade skills of working professionals and master’s level courses complementing institutional student learning. VUCCnet is in the process of further curriculum development and is planned to be rolled out in 33 sub-Saharan African countries after a successful pilot phase.

The collaboration promotes comprehensive cancer control as a unique approach to fight cancer. Both organizations will leverage respective know-how gained by existing initiatives such as the “IAEA-IARC-WHO Joint Project on Cancer Control” aimed at increasing capacity of health systems in selected countries through joint partner support for the implementation of national cancer control priorities.

IAEA/PACT and IFPMA focus on critical areas such as awareness raising, resource mobilization, and capacity building.

Cancer kills

9 million every year

The majority of deaths occur

in LMICs

Cancer is now responsible

for almost 1 in 6 deaths globally