The World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled a new Global Breast Cancer Initiative Framework on Friday, detailing a plan aimed at preventing 2.5 million fatalities from breast cancer by 2040.
This framework was presented ahead of World Cancer Day, celebrated worldwide on February 4th, as reported by the UN Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
To achieve the objectives, it was recommended that nations adopt the three core elements of health promotion focused on early detection, swift diagnosis, and comprehensive management of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer globally, impacting all adults, with over 2.3 million women receiving a diagnosis annually, based on WHO’s reports.
Though only a select number of affluent nations have succeeded in reducing breast cancer mortality by 40% since 1990, a significant challenge faced by women in developing countries is obtaining a timely diagnosis.
“Breast cancer survival rates are 50 percent or lower in numerous low and middle-income countries,” WHO’s Dr. Bente Mikkelsen informed reporters in Geneva on Friday.
Conversely, the rate is “over 90 percent for those who are able to access the best care in high-income nations,” she stressed.
To address these disparities, and in alignment with World Cancer Day, the UN agency’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative aims to lower breast cancer mortality by 2.5 percent annually.
“Nations with frail health systems are the least prepared to handle the growing burden of breast cancer.
“This presents a significant strain on individuals, families, communities, health infrastructures, and economies, making it imperative for health ministries and governments worldwide to prioritize it,” asserted Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
He further remarked: “We possess the tools and expertise necessary to prevent breast cancer and save lives.
“WHO is assisting more than 70 countries, especially low and middle-income nations, to detect breast cancer at earlier stages, expedite diagnoses, enhance treatment, and offer hope of a cancer-free future to everyone affected.”
To cater to specific country needs and offer guidance to governments, the initiative’s framework consists of three pillars: promoting health measures to encourage early detection; ensuring timely diagnosis, and administering treatment with effective therapies.
By 2040, an estimated over three million new cases and one million deaths are anticipated globally each year.
Around 75 percent of these fatalities are predicted to occur in low and middle-income nations.
“We genuinely cannot evade breast cancer if we are committed to addressing cancer issues in various countries,” stated Dr. Ben Anderson, Medical Officer for WHO’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative.
He remarked: “It is the most common cancer, affecting both men and women; it is the leading reason a woman will succumb to cancer worldwide, and it is the predominant cancer affecting women in 86 percent of countries.
“It ranks as the first or second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in 95 percent of nations, thus establishing a framework for future development is a crucial starting point.”
In 95 percent of countries, breast cancer is the foremost or secondary cause of cancer-related fatalities among women.
Nevertheless, nearly 80 percent of deaths due to breast and cervical cancer occur in low and middle-income countries, according to WHO. (NAN)
