THERE is hope in the fight against cancer in Papua New Guinea, a group of experts said yesterday.
The group from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is in the country at the request of the Department of Health.
In a meeting yesterday in Port Moresby, discussions were held over ways the team could help fight against all forms of cancer in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Health Department Dr Goa Tau, the executive manager-medical standard, thanked the group for accepting a request made by the Health Secretary Pascoe Kase last year.
“There is hope against the fight of different forms of cancer silently killing thousands of citizens annually,” Goa said.
The IAEA, through its programme of action for cancer therapy (PACT), offered its member states, in PNG, a service called the imPACT (integrated mission of PACT) Review.
The imPACT Review provides a comprehensive approach to conducting a needs assessment of a member’s cancer control infrastructure and capacity.
It is the first step in the IAEA’s cancer strategy to assist member states to address the cancer burden based on a comprehensive and long term sustainable approach.
Maria Villanueva, imPACT Mission coordinator, said considering the global implications of cancer and the need for improved control in the developing world, PACT worked to form global partnerships that could combine their expertise to provide the best possible support to member states afflicted by cancer.
“The imPACT team will carry out a comprehensive assessment of the country’s cancer control capacity in the areas of cancer control planner, cancer information, prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, palliative care, training and civil society activities,” Villanueva said.
She said the team would carry out a capacity and needs assessment for effective planning, design and implementation of the country’s radiation medicine programme, as a component of a comprehensive national cancer control programme. The team consists of seven experts who are specialists.