World Cancer Day

Every year, February 4 is being celebrated as the World Cancer Day.

Background 

World Cancer Day was born on the 4 February 2000 at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris. The Paris Charter aims to promote research, prevent cancer, improve patient services, raise awareness and mobilise the global community to make progress against cancer, and includes the adoption of World Cancer Day.

World Cancer Day is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the largest and oldest international cancer organisation dedicated to taking the lead in convening, capacity building and advocacy initiatives that unite the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, promote greater equity, and integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda.

Theme for 2024 : Close the Care Gap

World Cancer Day 2024 the theme is "Close the Care Gap". 

Half the world’s population lacks access to the full range of essential health services. When it comes to cancer, many of us are denied basic care, despite the fact that we live in a time of awe-inspiring advancements in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. 

This is the equity gap – and it’s costing lives. People who seek cancer care hit barriers at every turn. Income, education, geographical location and discrimination based on ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability and lifestyle are just a few of the factors that can negatively affect care. The most disadvantaged groups are also more likely to have increased exposures to a host of other risk factors, like tobacco, unhealthy diet or environmental hazards.  

The gap affects everyone. While it’s more pronounced in low- and middle-income countries, well-resourced countries show dramatic disparities too. It’s almost guaranteed that the gap affects all people in a community. 

The campaign is hence all about understanding and recognising the inequities in cancer care around the globe. Together, it’s time to close the care gap in cancer care.

What need to be done

The cancer care gap is not inevitable. Our systems can be reimagined, a person’s situation can be improved, their knowledge about cancer can be increased and their access to services made easier. 

Collectively, we can reduce inequity by: 

• educating the public about cancer prevention; 
• equipping healthcare professionals with skills and knowledge including about how inequity influences cancer care; 
• strengthening primary health care delivered in communities;  
• addressing through policy and programmes some of the social and economic factors that can negatively affect people’s health;  
• increasing the resources – meaning both money and people – dedicated to cancer research, and tracking the burden of cancer nationally to more effectively shape our investments; 
• implementing country-specific cancer prevention and control plans that address each country’s unique needs and resources. 

Source : World Cancer Day website

Related resources

• Understanding Cancer
• National Programme for prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & stroke (NPCDCS)