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The HEALTH | NOVEMBER, 2018
Royalty, first
ladies attend
pink brunch
fashion show
‘TREATMENT FOR ALL’... (Third from left to right) HRH Syyida Dr Mona Princess of Oman, HRH Dina Mired
Princess of Jordan and HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultanah of Perak at the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit.
Public health experts
converge at congress
for cancer care
ROYALTY and first ladies worldwide
recently attended a charity pink
brunch fashion extravaganza organ-
ised by the National Cancer Society
Malaysia (NCSM), in support of breast
cancer awareness month and cancer
survivors.
NCSM Vice President Clare
Ratnasingham explained that cancer
treatment in Malaysia is extremely
costly.
“While public hospitals do offer it
for free or at highly subsidised rates,
patients still have to pay for their
travel, accommodation and possibly
face a loss of income during such time.”
Royalties who attended the brunch
include Pink Brunch Patron Raja
Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim,
Permaisuri Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah
Sultan Idris Shah, President-elect of
the Union of International Cancer
Control (UICC) Princess Dina Mired
of Jordon and Princess Sayyida Mona
of Oman.
They were joined by First Ladies
Anna Hakobyan of Armenia and
former First Lady of Timor-Leste
Kirsty Sword Gusmao.
The event also featured cancer
survivors and former models includ-
ing Maggie Loo, Sofiah Rahman and
Shasha Hamid on the catwalk model-
ling the latest fashion from some of
Malaysia’s leading designers such as
Juriah Jamil and Variante.
3,000 cancer control and public experts attend the World Cancer Leaders’
Summit and World Cancer Congress
T
HE World Cancer
Leaders’ Summit and
World Cancer Con-
gress recently brought
together 3,000 cancer
control and public
health experts from
150 countries to share knowledge
and best practices in the global fight
against cancer.
Hosted by the National Cancer
Society of Malaysia and an initiative
by the Union for International Cancer
Control (UICC), ‘Treatment for All’
was an exciting advocacy which called
on the international cancer commu-
nity to address the global equity gap
in access to cancer services.
Building on commitments made
in the 2017 WHO Cancer resolution,
‘Treatment for All’ sought to ensure
these are translated into concrete
action in order to contribute to the
global goal of reducing premature
mortality from non-communicable
disease (NCD)’s including cancer by
25 per cent by 2025.
Speaking at the World Cancer
Leaders’ Summit earlier, Her Royal
Highness Princess Dina Mired of
Jordan, UICC president elect stated
that the battle against cancer is real.
“We are facing 18.1 million new
cancer cases and over 9.6 million
deaths worldwide each year, approxi-
mately half of which are in Asia. These
numbers are projected to rise rapidly
over the next 10 years and will have
serious implications for countries
where resources are limited.”
“We initiated the City Cancer
Challenge to address this and a year
on, we are seeing tremendous prog-
ress in each of our four Key Learning
“We are facing
18.1 million new
cancer cases and
over 9.6 million
deaths worldwide
each year,
approximately half
of which are in Asia.
These numbers are
projected to rise
rapidly over the
next 10 years and
will have serious
implications for
countries where
resources are
limited.”
– Princess Dina Mired
Cities, representing a huge paradigm
shift in cancer care at the local level.
The united efforts of our cities and
partners have allowed us to refine the
initiative’s methodology – from the
assessment of needs to prioritisation,
planning and financing – so that we
can make a tangible impact in the
fight against cancer on an even bigger
scale.”
“I can only urge more cities to join
us to take a lead in reducing inequities
to cancer care for their people.”
“With 54 per cent of the world’s
population living in urban areas, cities
are uniquely positioned to drive sus-
tainable innovation in the delivery of
health services to large populations.”
“Since the launch of the City
Cancer Challenge in 2017, the four
original Key Learning Cities have
been mobilising the initiative’s net-
work of global and local partners
to develop and implement localised
action plans, tailored to the needs of
each city.”
“These plans have the potential to
improve cancer care for over 25 mil-
lion people,” she said.
The four-day congress that took
place from October 1 onwards at the
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre
(KLCC), saw multidisciplinary
plenary discussions, networking and
social events, debates and master
courses with the aim to strengthen
participants’ understanding of the
current state of cancer control glob-
ally and how to accelerate progress at
the national and regional level.
Experts hailed from a diverse back-
ground across the United Nations
agencies, the non-profit and private
sectors as well as academia.
(Right) Pink Brunch Patron Raja
Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim
seated together with her husband
(left) reigning Sultan of Perak Sultan
Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
No surveys on
caregivers in
Malaysia
MALAYSIAN Oncology Society of
Malaysia president Dr Matin Mellor
Abdullah disclosed that the realm of
patient care is important.
“We have to discuss this – as to who
is in the best position to take on this
initiative.”
As to whether any survey has
been done, Matin disclosed that: “We
haven’t even looked at them much even
say doing a survey. So, doing a survey
is the first, something that we should
do, perhaps by teaming up with Cancer
Research Malaysia.”
“We could target the National
Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) and
Hospice Malaysia to do that survey
as they are able to identify the carers
through their patients.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised at the result
though – a lot of depression, financial
pressures associated with being away
from work might surface.