Background and Context:
Because of the rising burden of cancer in Papua New Guinea, some efforts are now directed to cancer control. While some treatment is available, there is very little happening for prevention. Majority of cancer cases present in the late stage. However, cancer can be prevented by simple prevention techniques and messages. It was than agreed that a national cancer plan should be developed through which a National Cancer Control programme (NCCP) shall be developed. Through the plan program activities are coordinated and implemented strategically to have the most impact to reduce incidence of cancer. Therefore, we developed the first PNG national cancer policy 2015-2020 and are happy to present to the congress.
Aim:
Aim of the cancer plan to is to provide the direction through which cancer stakeholders can plan and pool their limited resources targeting common cancer affecting the population. The plan provides a roadmap to follow to minimize and control cancer in the community. The plan takes into account the real and potential challenges (such as culture influences, beliefs etc..) that needs to be overcome in implementing the cancer plan and the appropriate technology.
Strategy/Tactics:The plan covers, prevention and early detection, diagnosis and treatment, registry and surveillance and palliative care. It is a challenge trying to identify the best techniques that will work for us. In this section we highlight some of the strategies and techniques in cancer control that are appropriate for our setting.
Programme/Policy Process:
Basing on the above we framed our control policies together to make the NCCP for PNG. Here we highlight what those policy processes are.
Outcomes/What was learned: The development of the national cancer policy was an achievement in itself and we hope to achieve some milestones in the planning, implementation and monitoring evaluation phases of the plan.