Consultation on strategies to improve and strengthen cancer control programmes
Introduction
A consultation on strategies to improve and strenghten cancer control programmes in Europe did take place from 25 to 28 November 2003 in Geneva. The consultation was planned by the Programme on Cancer Control at WHO headquarters and the Chronic Disease Prevention department of WHO’s European Regional Office.
This consultation aimed to strengthen collaborative efforts to improve cancer control programmes in Europe at regional and national level with the main focus on Central and Eastern European countries, by working to reduce the cancer burden, to reduce cancer inequalities, and to achieve the best possible quality of life for cancer patients, their families and caregivers.
This work will also contribute to collaborative efforts to improve cancer control programmes beyond Europe by sharing this initiative with other organizations outside the European Region that can both contribute to and benefit from this experience.
Following the consultation, the main conclusions and recommendations for future action to improve cancer control programmes in Europe as well as a proposed cancer assessment tool will be compiled and disseminated to all participants. A collection of information sources relevant to cancer control will be brought together and made available to the consultation participants. It is hoped that these products will both strengthen the network of European countries working together in their cancer control efforts and help guide future work in cancer control in among an expanded number of countries in Europe and possibly other regions.