OIC convenes meeting on cancer programs

RIYADH: The General Secretariat of the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) recently convened a meeting concerning cancer programs.

The meeting, held in Khartoum, Sudan, was attended by OIC member states.

“The meeting reviewed the gaps in funding and mobilized resources for the implementation of priority interventions in the national cancer control programs of OIC member states,” Maha Akeel, director of OIC’s public information department, told Arab News.

She added that the meeting, which was hosted by Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health, was organized within the framework of the OIC- IDB- IAEA practical arrangements on cooperation in the area of comprehensive cancer control in common member states.

“The project would provide the required cancer health care services for the populations in 18 OIC member- countries, thereby improving access to the necessary diagnosis and treatment of cancer in those countries,” Akeel said.

Delegates at the meeting included representatives of 18 OIC member countries, development funds ( including the Saudi Development Fund), Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, African Development Bank, and international organi- zations ( including the World Health Organization).

The OIC adopted its Strategic Health Program of Action 20142023 at the fourth session of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in October 2013.

The OIC General Secretariat decided to partner with the IDB and IAEA to see how to support the efforts made by the common member states to tackle cancer, considering the health systems in many OIC member states, especially those in Africa and Asia, are not adequately equipped to detect and treat cancers. Prevention measures are either weak or nonexistent in a good number of these countries.