4th Cancer Summit Awards 2023 - Healthcare Advocacy in India | Health Advocates

Overview

Observed annually on 4th February, World Cancer Day is a global advocacy day aimed at promoting cancer awareness, educating the public about the illness, and encouraging governments and individuals around the globe to act against it in order to reduce the burden of cancer.

Presently, cancer is the second biggest cause of mortality in the world. As a result of research and innovations in clinical and medical oncology, cancer care and management has advanced from an era of ambiguity to one of accuracy. Unfortunately, despite the advancements in medical technology and health infrastructure, India’s cancer rate is still rising, necessitating a review, and upgradation of current approaches of disease prevention and management

According to the National Cancer Registry Programme’s most recent study, India’s cancer burden might rise from 1.39 million cases in 2020 to 1.57 million cases in 2025. Factors such as late-stage presentation, limited access to appropriate diagnosis and treatment, and cost all contribute to the trend of an increase in the burden of cancer-related morbidity and mortality in the nation. Further, these gaps in cancer care have grown even worse with the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting patient outcomes, both directly and indirectly through changes in health-seeking behaviour, as well as challenges in accessibility and availability of critical services from screening through treatment. The situation is such that even when free cancer screening is offered, high-risk populations continue to suffer due to poor acceptance rates. Low female empowerment, myths about the disease, fear of getting cancer, and a lack of a social environment that would encourage individuals, particularly women, to take part in screening programmes continue to act as social barriers to early diagnosis of cancer. Therefore, a greater knowledge of patient preferences, early treatment facilitators, overcoming societal obstacles through awareness programmes, and other enablers of cancer care in India is urgently needed, in addition to the provision of affordable and accessible health care facilities.

Against this backdrop, the Integrated Health and Well-being (IHW) Council in collaboration with RAPID Global Cancer Alliance are coming together with the 4th Edition of the Cancer Summit 2023, to focus on some of the challenges related to India’s optimum cancer care and to enhance the present healthcare system.

The 4th edition of the Cancer Summit 2023 would bring government representatives, leading medical professionals, lawmakers, social activists, patient advocacy groups, and cancer survivors to provide their perspectives on important topics, innovative solutions, and the various strategies to educate people about cancer and build a favourable environment for cancer control, diagnosis, and management.

Key Discussion Points

Agenda

Opening Session :- ADDRESSING THE GROWING BURDEN: INVESTING IN CAPACITY AND SKILL BUILDING OF HEALTHCARE RESOURCES

To reach the greatest number of people, the nation’s healthcare resources—both human and material—need to be strengthened. It may be beneficial to increase the capacity of the workers providing healthcare in rural areas through targeted training and upskilling. The session will focus on the grave need invest in healthcare resources the and the various strategies to provide quality cancer care at various levels of healthcare

Session I :- ACCELERATING INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY: A PUSH FOR PREVENTION, EARLY SCREENING, AND VACCINATION

Exploring how innovations and newer technologies can aid in cancer prevention and early detection outcome, particularly among the hard to reach/marginalized groups. The session will also elaborate on learnings from current and emerging screening and early detection efforts/programmes that can help reduce the burden of cancer in the country.

Session II :- IMPROVING PATIENT AND CAREGIVER OUTCOMES IN CANCER

In the cancer care space, patients frequently have unmet requirements for supportive care, such as psychological discomfort, need for health information, and care planning, in addition to the physical symptom burden they face. The session will highlight effective treatments that can help enhance the delivery of care and support outcomes including pain and symptom management, quality of life, and mental health. It will seek to cover the whole care pathway, from the initial suspicion of cancer through treatment, follow-up care after treatment, survivorship, and palliative and end-of-life care.

Session III :- MOVING FROM PROBLEMS TO SOLUTIONS: THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE (UHC)

The session will identify vulnerable groups that are predisposed to financial distress imposed by cancer diagnosis and treatment; and deliberate upon models of healthcare that can protect patients against incurring a financial burden. If patients cannot afford services or if their prognoses are still based on where they reside or how solid their insurance is, modern advancements in cancer care are rendered useless

Session IV :- ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETIES IN RESPONDING TO CHANGING CANCER LANDSCAPE

Improving access to high-quality health workers and cancer health commodities, while also advocating for good governance and equitable health financing requires a vibrant and influential civil society and network of health stewards (leaders in healthcare facilities, communities, and countries) to initiate discussion and reform. The session will centre on methods for fostering productive collaborations among stakeholders involved in cancer control, such as the government, academia, industry, and global networks. It will also seek to explore crucial approaches and measures needed to create viable business plans and explore viable new sources of funding aside from the traditional ones in order to boost the functioning of the international cancer community.