Breast Cancer: WHO Unveils Roadmap to Save 2.5m Lives

The World Health Organization (WHO) has unveiled a Global Breast Cancer Initiative Framework today providing a roadmap to attain the targets to save 2.5 million lives from breast cancer by 2040.
The unveiling, is coming as the world observed the world cancer day, celebrated every year on Feb. 4 to promote awareness on cancer as a public health issue and to strengthen actions towards improving access to quality care, screening, …
The framework, the WHO said, recommends to countries to implement the three pillars of health promotion for early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive management of breast cancer to reach the targets.
There are more than 2.3 million cases of breast cancer that occur each year, which make it the most common cancer among adults.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said in 95 per cent of countries, breast cancer is the first or second leading cause of female cancer deaths.
”Yet, survival from breast cancer is widely inequitable between and within countries; nearly 80 per cent of deaths from breast and cervical cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries.
“Countries with weaker health systems are least able to manage the increasing burden of breast cancer.
”It places a tremendous strain on individuals, families, communities, health systems, and economies, so it must be a priority for ministries of health and governments everywhere.
“We have the tools and the know-how to prevent breast cancer and save lives. WHO is supporting more than 70 countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries, to detect breast cancer earlier, diagnosed faster, treat it better and give everyone with breast cancer the hope of a cancer-free future,” je said.
The WHO director-general said cancer in women, including breast cancer leave devastating impact.