Greece’s capability to scale back most cancers mortality is impeded by an absence of a coherent coverage, and whereas one is at the moment being drafted, stakeholders say extra care must be taken to beat obstacles.
In accordance with the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), “greater than 30,000 individuals in Greece died from most cancers problems”, equating to virtually one in 4 deaths in 2020, whereas the OECD discovered the discount of most cancers mortality is slower than elsewhere within the EU.
“A Nationwide Most cancers Motion Plan might be a key prerequisite for the State’s clear dedication that it lastly desires to work on that [sector] and resolve Greek sufferers’ issues”, George Kapetanakis, the President of the Greek Most cancers Federation, stated to Euractiv, including it was set as a “high precedence”.
It may additionally “play a important position in breaking down [the so-called] silos in most cancers management and care processes by selling interconnection between the first-step actions (prevention, screening, prognosis) and the ultimate steps, that are the remedy and affected person’s survival”, he added.
These statements are a part of a latest public dialogue over the final reform of the Greek NHS and the need of adopting a Greek Nationwide Most cancers Motion Plan by the requirements and pointers of Europe’s Beating Most cancers Plan.
The Greek affected person finally ends up transferring “round wants the NHS creates, with out, on the similar time, having the capability to cowl his/her affected person wants”, Kapetanakis stated, concerning the Greek NHS, echoing the significance of a patient-centred structured system as Euractiv has beforehand reported.
Due to this fact, he highlighted that it’s essential for the Nationwide Most cancers Motion Plan to “take sufferers’ expertise into severe consideration” to “keep away from head-in-the-sand” insurance policies and obtain the specified outcomes of decreasing most cancers deaths.
“To ensure that such a plan to succeed, well being should be a facet of any policy-making course of [from food to transportation policies]”, he added.
Nationwide plan by European requirements
Because of the present distortions of the Greek well being system, the query of whether or not a Nationwide Most cancers Motion Plan may observe the European requirements set by the EU in 2021 and the remainder of the member states has arisen.
“After all, it may”, Kapetanakis responded, including {that a} plan in opposition to most cancers doesn’t must be created from scratch.
“A mix is every little thing. The EU has given us the rules. There are additionally 19 different nationwide motion plans [already adopted] within the EU member states. We may deeply study them and derive the required information about greatest practices and outcomes. After which we are able to undertake them within the Greek setting”, he defined.
A Nationwide Council for Most cancers
Throughout a panel dialogue on the Well being Coverage Congress held in Greece earlier this month, it was famous that there’s nonetheless the necessity to set up a Nationwide Most cancers Registry to make sure sufferers obtain long-term, safe and revolutionary well being care. It is usually essential because it may type a extra detailed image of most cancers prevalence in Greece.
This Registry was additionally referred to in a draft invoice voted in October, however its implementation is but to be finalised.
In accordance with Kapetanakis, a Nationwide Most cancers Registry must be and is a “high precedence” of the Greek Well being Ministry, together with adopting a Nationwide Most cancers Motion Plan.
“A nationwide Council for Most cancers can be within the Ministry’s plans”, Kapetanakis stated to Euractiv, assuring that this was the well being minister’s promise in a dialogue with most cancers stakeholders a while in the past.
“We’re not conscious but of this company’s position. Nevertheless, it signifies a powerful willingness on behalf of the Greek Well being Ministry to make substantial steps ahead” within the subsequent interval, he added.
Very best timing
As screening programmes have already been enacted, specifically the “Fofi Gennimata” breast most cancers programme, Greece appears to be taking steps concerning most cancers prevention. However the launch of different screening programmes has been delayed.
Alternatively, vital “steps have already been taken within the Digital Transformation of Oncology Care”, Kapetanakis instructed Euractiv.
“And the outcomes of the ministry’s actions might be “seen within the subsequent 12 months and extra within the following years”, he commented. “The framework and the timing are splendid” for the programmes to provide tangible outcomes”, he stated.
[By Marianthi Pelekanaki, edited by Vasiliki Angouridi | Euractiv.com]
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