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The need to build on recent progressChapter 2: Policy and planning
Why cancer plans matter
In 2017 the World Health Assembly
recommended that all countries should
develop National Cancer Control Plans
(NCCPs) to address the rising cancer burden.^34
NCCPs provide countries with a vision and
a direction in their response to cancer. If
comprehensive enough, they should assign
responsibilities, resources and define a plan of
action that is specific and verifiable. Experts
acknowledge that cancer plans are a crucial
first step in driving progress in cancer care.
“Plan Esperanza has helped in increasing
coverage of cancer care in Peru,” says Dr Sarria.The good news is that according to the ICP
all countries but one, Bolivia,^35 have a cancer
plan in place.^36 But cancer plans should beKey takeaways
- Most countries have developed National Cancer Control Plans. These should be
specific and updated continuously, and should ideally be developed with a multi-
stakeholder approach, involving citizenship. Implementation requires dedicated
resources, strong governance and clear leadership. - The region combines a long tradition of registries along with some late adopters.
Data from registries are crucial for designing tailored policies and strategies for the
country’s cancer needs and for monitoring progress. Cancer research is not sufficiently
incentivised. - Specific risk factors contribute to cancer burdens, and these have not been fully
addressed. However, there is progress in curbing smoking prevalence, driven by
regulatory developments. Experts recommend sustained investment in prevention
efforts and intersectoral collaboration.
understood as an ongoing, long-term project
that requires periodic update given changing
demands, institutional realities and technical
progress. In many cases, countries are working
on updated plans as the previous ones reach
an end. Two of the most recent examples are
Chile’s Plan Nacional de Cáncer 2018-28 and
Panama’s Plan Estratégico Nacional para la
Prevención y Control del Cáncer 2019-29.
Peru is also working on the update of Plan
Esperanza,^37 to cover 2019-21. The last country
to come on board was Argentina, presenting
the Plan Nacional de Control del Cáncer in
2018 (and published in September 2019).^38
According to Julia Ismael, head of the country’s
National Cancer Institute, “to have a plan has
meant an effort of about five years. Due to the
fragmentation of the system, this has required
reaching articulation and consensus.”(^34) UICC, “Achieving measurable progress towards the NCD Targets: The importance of National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs)”, 2018.
(^35) Bolivia has had a series of plans for specific cancers but no comprehensive plan is available.
(^36) The ICP examined the existence of a cancer plans, although the extent of these being implemented varies. In Mexico, for instance a 2016 plan was
proposed by the National Cancer Institute, which has not yet been implemented, according to Dr Mohar.
(^37) Ministerio de Salud, “Resolución Ministerial N° 360-2019/MINSA”, 2019.
(^38) Boletín Oficial de la República Argentina, “Resolución 1760/2019”, 2019.