The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene presented, on Thursday, the national program to fight cancer (PNLC), in partnership with the NGO CHAI, to technical and financial partners and media people, in order to generate strong commitments to support the program, in the fight against cancer in Burkina Faso.
According to the Director General of Studies and Sectoral Statistics (DGESS) of the Ministry of Health, Wenceslas Koïta, representing the Minister in charge of Health, the national cancer control program (PNLC), which was launched in April 2024, is a tool that should enable synergy of action against cancer in Burkina Faso.
He also indicated that the meeting aims to generate strong commitments from technical and financial partners involved in the fight against cancer in Burkina Faso to support the PNLC.
Mr. Koïta explained that the program was set up by the Ministry of Health to ensure the reduction of the incidence and mortality linked to cancers.
“The PNLC should allow for synergy of action against c
ancer from our different departments. Thanks to its missions, we will be able to act in perfect harmony with civil society. Hospitals will be better organized with large and competent teams working in better conditions for commendable results,” said the DGESS.
Wenceslas Koïta, invited partners to support, without reservation, all the initiatives of the National Cancer Control Program (PNLC).
For the PNLC coordinator, Pr Nayi Zongo, the advocacy meeting will allow partners to better understand the program, to organize a session of reflections and discussions on the different sections of the program to present the mapping of available resources, with a view to fighting cancer in Burkina Faso.
Pr Zongo added that cancer prevention, screening and treatment cost the government huge sums of money each year.
“It is urgent and necessary to mobilize more resources, both exogenous and endogenous, to finance the fight against cancer. The treatment of a single case of cancer can cost millions of CFA francs, which is
inaccessible for an average family in Burkina Faso,” he retorted.
The PNLC coordinator recalled that the program is the body for guidance, execution and monitoring of the implementation of actions in the fight against cancer.
“Hand in hand, unity in diversity, let us build a climate conducive to the elimination of cancer risk factors, to equitable access to diagnostic and therapeutic means of cancers for all,” said Mr. Zongo.
Source: Burkina Information Agency