According to a group of national and international cancer experts from the IAEA. The World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Peru is making progress toward its goal of giving all cancer patients access to health care.
International Agency for Research on Cancer
Its second National Cancer Control Plan is almost finished. And nuclear medicine and radiotherapy cancer services are being moved out of the capital city.
As part of an imPACT Review trip. The team was in Peru in April to do a full review of the country’s programs and needs for fighting cancer.
Experts said during the trip that more help, especially in the areas of nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. Would make things better, but they said that resources were limited.
After that, on June 2, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi made an official trip to Peru.
National Cancer Institute Peru
He went to the National Cancer Institute (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, or INEN) and reaffirmed.
Peru in Fight Against Cancer
That the IAEA would support Peru in its fight against cancer as part of its Rays of Hope initiative. This initiative’s main goal is to make cancer care more available in areas that need it the most.
During the visit, he said,
“Through Rays of Hope, the IAEA will support Peru’s efforts, to improve cancer treatment by giving them more equipment to make radiotherapy services stronger.”
IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory
The IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan) says that. This country has the fourth highest rate of cancer in the area and needs help.
70,000 new cases of cancer in 2022
It was thought that just over 70,000 new cases of cancer were recorded in 2022. Mostly in the prostate, gut, and reproductive tract.
Since these numbers are projected to go up by more than 30% by 2035.
The Ministry of Health asked for a second imPACT Review ten years after the first one to help with its efforts to control cancer.
Program of Action for Cancer Therapy
Lisa Stevens, Director of the IAEA’s Program of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT), said, “It was an honor to note the progress made by the Peruvian health authorities.
Since our organizations last conducted an imPACT Review in the country.” Stevens was in Lima with the imPACT review team.
“Progress was made at all levels of the cancer control continuum,” she said. “These levels include planning, screening, training, registration, and management.”
One main goal of the review was to look at how far cancer prevention and control have come since 2014 and find the gaps that still need to be filled. In order to make sure everyone has fair and timely access to quality services for cancer detection and treatment.
Peru’s Vice Minister of Public Health
Peru’s Vice Minister of Public Health, Eric Ricardo Peña Sánchez, said,
“We will use the evidence gathered as part of the imPACT Review to shape the new integrated plan for cancer prevention and control and come up with a way to get funds and strategic partners.”
3rd Multisectoral National Cancer Control Plan
As the government works on its third multisectoral National Cancer Control Plan, it is clear that it wants to do something about the rising number of cancer cases in the country.
Especially in three big areas: the north, the coastal south, and the central highlands. These areas are called macro-regions.
In Peru, steps have already been taken to decentralize cancer care services, especially in these three large areas. This means that patients who live outside of the capital city can now get services.
Essy Milagros Maradiegue Chirinos, Executive Director of the Cancer Prevention and Control Directorate of the Ministry of Health (MINSA), said,
“The investments we need to make to reach the goals we have set for ourselves are big.”
“We will work together with donors and partners in the sector to set priorities and organize funds in a smart and useful way,” she said.
A number of groups are helping Peru improve cancer care. These include the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Which sent experts in cancer prevention, pathology, and surgery, and the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), which is helping MINSA by getting resources and building up people’s skills in the city of Arequipa.
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