Group seeks concerted efforts to control cancer globally

•Says Medications Not Field-tested In Low-income Countries
•To Exhibit At 2022 American Society Of Clinical Oncology Meeting In Chicago

A leading cancer-fighting organisation in Africa, Project PINK BLUE – Health & Psychological Trust Centre, has called for formidable global cancer control efforts.

The group says many cancer medications are not field-tested in low-income countries, and in 2020, there were less than six oncology clinical trials in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the organisation has concluded plans to engage global leaders in a conversation at the ongoing four-day American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) yearly meeting and exhibition taking place in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America (USA).

A statement signed by the Executive Director of Project PINK BLUE, Runcie Chidebe, yesterday, said: “Cancer is now one of the most pathetic examples of inequities in health outcomes. In high-income countries, survival rates for childhood cancer are over 80 per cent but in Africa, it is as low as 20 per cent.”

He said that Project PINK BLUE would be the only Nigerian and African cancer non-profit exhibiting at the ASCO exhibition.

He explained that: “ASCO is one of the world’s largest oncology organisations advancing the frontiers of cancer research, providing outstanding educational opportunities, and defining standards of practice for clinical cancer care.

“Exhibition at the 2022 ASCO yearly meeting is an enviable opportunity to spotlight Project PINK BLUE. We will utilise patient advocacy exhibition to speak for hundreds of cancer patients in hinterlands, who cannot have access to palliative medications and mostly, die in pain…Those who are in dire of radiotherapy but not available and patients, whose treatment outcome would have been better, if they had access to clinical trial.”

He said over 2,500 cancer research papers would be presented and thousands of oncology professionals from around the world are expected at the meeting in Chicago…”