The Nationalist Party today launched its first set of proposals from its Cancer Strategy this morning, with the rest of the proposals going to be made public over the coming weeks.
In a press conference, PN MEP Francis Zammit Dimech, PN MP Stephen Spiteri and former MP and doctor Michael Asciak delivered the proposals on the occasion of World Cancer Day.
MEP Francis Zammit Dimech said that in Malta, there are around 2,000 cases of cancer each year, and 900 deaths from it.
As their first proposal, the MEP said, government should consider whether there is a need to introduce population-based screening for prostate cancer. While the national cancer plan refers to a study that asks for more scientific evidence on its effectiveness and cost utility criteria, Zammit Dimech said, there are other and opposite arguments being made by, for example, the European Association of Urology that explains that prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men.
Turning to breast cancer, the MEP spoke of the need for there to be a specialised unit, highlighting that currently such care is fragmented. He said that this unit should provide higher quality, more specialised care.
Another proposal is for a more investment in cancer research.
Stephen Spiteri said that patients as well as NGOs in the cancer sector need to be given more space in the design of national and European policies in this field. He also highlighted the need for more specialised psychological support for children diagnosed with cancer, their parents as well as staff. In addition, they proposed that there be more support offered to children who have a parent battling cancer.
Asciak said that more EU and national funds need to be allocated to activities and long-term campaigns raising awareness for cancer.
The three also appealed to government to conduct a stock taking exercise in terms of where Malta currently stands in the implementation of the National Cancer Plan 2017 – 2021, while communicating with all stakeholders.
from The Malta Independent http://bit.ly/2TwPtwI
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