Cancer Association chief off to Kazakhstan because of his efforts in the fight against cancer
Rolf Hansen, the Chief Executive of the Cancer Association of Namibia will be attending the 2019 World Cancer Leaders’ Summit taking place from 15 to 17 October in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
The Cancer Association was selected by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) as a 2019 Global Cancer Country Champion.
Hansen said he is both humbled and overjoyed that the global community see their concerted efforts and that through this learning experience “we can plough back into our community to help our people.”
The Association said that from 100 global cancer organisations short-listed and interviewed, they join 16 other successful organisations from every region of the world as a 2019 champion. These organisations are all committed in engaging governments to call for improved, equitable access to cancer services, focused on four key pillars which are data, early detection, treatment and supportive and palliative care.
They explained that the aim of the initiation is for champion organisations to work together to build an effective national Treatment for All Advocacy Campaign to be submitted, which will then be available to other organisations and health ministry teams globally to use as a toolkit to strengthen their own health systems.
“Based on the needs identified by the participating nations and organisations, further support to help improve skills particularly in the areas of advocacy, coalition building, communications, fund-raising and monitoring and evaluation will be further provided to the current and future organisations taking part in this programme,” said Hansen.
The International Cancer Union is paying for Hansen’s entire travel, therefore Hansen thanked the union and donor agents for this generous invitation and all the support they have lent so far.
