The World Health Organization estimates that 7.6 million people died of cancer in 2005 and 84 million people will die in the next 10 years if action is not taken.
More than 70% of all cancer deaths occur in low and middle income countries, where resources available for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer are limited or nonexistent.
Yet cancer is to a large extent avoidable. Over 40% of all cancers can be prevented. Some of the most common cancers are curable if detected early and treated. Even with late cancer, the suffering of patients can be relieved with good palliative care.
Cancer control: knowledge into action: WHO guide for effective programmes is a series of six modules offering guidance on all important aspects of effective cancer control planning and implementation.
This Policy and advocacy module provides tools and advice on how to plan and advocate for sustainable cancer control policy and effective programme implementation. It outlines the capacity required for collaboration and communication, and sets out the optimal roles of various groups in advocacy. It recommends practical action steps, indicating how diverse groups can support effective cancer control efforts.
This module is intended to provide encouragement and ideas to people, having various levels of experience, who:
are concerned about the status of comprehensive cancer control in their province, state or country;
want to know more about how advocacy works;
are thinking about applying an advocacy strategy;
are engaged in advocacy and want to learn more about a stepwise approach.
This module is intended to help build knowledge, confidence, skills and passion for action in people concerned about cancer. Its target audience ranges from policy-makers to implementers of cancer control plans at national, regional or local level.
The production of this publication was made possible through the generous financial support of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA, and the National Cancer Institute (INCa), France. We would also like to thank the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the National Cancer Center (NCC) of the Republic of Korea, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) for their financial support.
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.
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