A European master plan to fight cancer

Health is important for the wellbeing of individuals and our society.

Although investment in the healthcare sector over the years has strengthened our National Health Service, we need to continue working together towards the ultimate achievement of a comprehensive healthcare system for all Maltese and Gozitan citizens.

My tasks in the European Parliament include ensuring that Maltese citizens have better access to health services, reflecting European standards. Apart from campaigning for more services for diabetics, I am actively involved in the fight against cancer, which is the main focus of the MEPs Against Cancer group of which I am a member. Unfortunately,

cancer still remains a big challenge for a small country like ours. Every year, there are 2,000 new cases of cancer registered and approximately 900 deaths and I am regularly faced with the issue of cancer in several houses I visit. Several people have managed to beat cancer and this is why I believe that, through investment and collaboration, we can overcome it just as we did regarding influenza that once used to be deadly.

It is for this reason that building better policies to address key issues faced by people with cancer is so necessary. Over the past 20 months, I have made concerted efforts towards producing a policy document with 30 proposals based on stakeholder involvement that aim to strengthen our fight against cancer. These proposals include considering populationbased screening for prostate cancer, to ensure interoperability of cancer registers between EU Member States for the purpose of exchanging information for better prevention and cure. This proposal, moreover, recommends stepping up the action against cancer and encourages the involvement of researchers, patients and health professionals in decision-making processes.

Our efforts are entirely consistent with the larger European endeavours in responding to a European problem that requires solutions that are inclusive. The aim of the European Master Plan against Cancer being proposed by the EPP Group is to take a step further in the fight against cancer through sharing our brainpower, knowledge and resources. It includes improving prevention, developing a strategy that helps to improve cancer diagnosis at an early stage, making major investments in cancer research – including child cancer, facilitating the exchange of information between research and health centres across Europe, putting into use digital tools while at the same time ensuring patient privacy, guaranteeing high quality cancer treatment for patients and providing support to patients during therapy and after defeating cancer.

We have already achieved major results in cancer treatment. With the support of the EU, we have offered the highest quality of oncology treatment for Maltese and Gozitan citizens. After visiting the Oncology Centre earlier this month, I am more convinced than ever that we have dedicated people and skilled professionals able to deliver the best quality service to our patients. Professionals put in a tremendous amount of work and dedication to ensure that patients receive high-quality care and after seeing how the EU has made a huge difference in the health sector in our country, I remain confident that we can and will go much further. We must continue to build on this result to reap more benefits from our membership of the EU, and the EU Master Plan is one example.

Healthcare is, and will remain, a priority for the Nationalist Party (PN). In its election manifesto, the PN proposes that we can step up the fight against cancer only with more exchange of information, prevention through screening programmes, larger investment in cancer research and greater e-Health accessibility. Ensuring that our citizens have a balanced diet and access to good quality food in the market should remain our priority.

We also want to ensure the timely implementation of the EU-funded scheme providing fresh fruit and vegetables in schools, which is important to help achieve the healthy lifestyle and eating habits we want to promote from a young age. In addition to this, we will take an even bigger stand on matters relating to cancer. The manifesto of the European People’s Party, of which we are a member, calls for a greater commitment to the health of European citizens through more investment in research and innovation regarding cancer, among other illnesses.

That being the case, Manfred Weber – the Spitzenkandidat, or main candidate of the European People’s Party for the President of the European Commission – has made the fight against cancer a top priority on his agenda. Weber, who was recently here in Malta to participate in the Extraordinary PN General Council meeting, reminded us that only together can we face cancer and make our society’s present and future healthier. I want to work side by side with Weber on his ambition to put health as a priority of the EU. The message of Weber – The Power of We – is one that is not aligned with the widespread illusions in populism and nationalism. Yes, we believe we can all work together to realise a common future, to improve people’s lives and health, for higher growth with more and better jobs.

We must not make the mistake of thinking that health decisions are only a responsibility of EU Member States. In a discussion I had with Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, he emphasised that the EU has a crucial role to play when it comes to improving people’s health and lives. My commitment is that if I am given another mandate in the European Parliament, I will continue working to address the challenges in the health sector that our society faces.