African First Ladies head to Addis to Combat Cancer

(Hana Mebrahte)

Dozens of African First Ladies, as well as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, UN Agencies, Presidents, Speakers of Parliaments and Parliamentarians, Health ministers, philanthropic donor agencies, philanthropic donor agencies business community leaders, advocacy groups and leading scientists and clinicians from Africa and around the world are in Addis Ababa from 24-27 July 2016.

The reason for the gathering is the 10th SCCA Conference (Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference) being held at the African Union Commission Conference Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The 10th SCCA Conference is organized by the government of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia through the Office of the First Lady in collaboration with Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, Forum of African First Ladies Against Breast and Cervical Cancer, African Parliamentarians and Health Ministers Against Cancer and other partners.

The theme of the conference is: A Decade of Accomplishments and the Challenges Ahead.

Indeed, there have been important exciting new developments in both the cervical and breast and prostate cancer prevention landscape, particularly where creating sustainable access to cervical breast and prostate cancer prevention in the developing world is concerned.

Simultaneously, the world has witnessed the emergence of exciting new screening technologies for cervical, breast and prostate cancer like a new low-cost HPV DNA test. There are exciting news on successful and on-going demonstrations projects that have been undertaken and are on-going in Africa.

In addition to the above, the Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa Conference has been witnessing positive developments with the growing political support and commitment that has been observed in the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, the circumstances for moving forward with support to developing world countries for implementation of cervical cancer prevention programs could not be better.

Thus, while political will and support for prevention has been growing, the local, regional, and international financing needed for implementation has unfortunately not happened yet. The opportunity before us now is to bring together an array of courageous and influential African and global leaders to help ensure the financial support that is needed end cervical cancer in Africa and reduce the burden of breast and prostate cancers.

The 10th SCCA conference will gather speakers of African Parliaments, heads of State and African Union member states, African First Ladies, African Ministers of Health, leaders of organizations and institutions that promote activities to stop cancer, eminent scientists and researchers, health professionals, philanthropists, civil society groups, individuals from the private sector as well as cancer survivors from all over the world.

With more than 5000 distinguished delegates and speakers from Africa and across the world, the conference is the largest gathering of international stakeholders and specialists in the field of cancer prevention and control in the African Continent.

For the past ten years, Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, an African based non-governmental organization with offices in South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda and Seychelles, has been championing cervical, breast and prostate cancer prevention in the continent through its annual Stop Cervical, Breast & Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference. Through this annual meeting, Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, has not only succeeded in raising cervical, breast and prostate cancer awareness of the disease across the continent, but has also generated substantial recognition and ownership of the issue among senior African government officials.

In fact, it is to the credit of the foundation and the Forum of African First Ladies that lobbied, signed documents, and carried out advocacy efforts all over the world.

During the Foundation’s 3rd Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa Conference, held in South Africa in July, 2009, the Forum of African First Ladies Against Breast & Cervical Cancer was launched, galvanizing high visibility for cervical cancer prevention and women’s health across Africa with its attendant prioritization in the health ministries.

Also, the Forum of African First Ladies Against Breast & Cervical Cancer annually signs the Declaration is circulated to All African Presidents and Governments and Global Bodies that was taken to the UN High Level Summit on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in 2015.

Indeed, with large number of cancer research centers and hospital as well as medical technology developers attending and exhibiting their work; SCCA is a great opportunity for knowledge exchange and highlighting latest technological and pharmaceutical advancements and researches in the field. The three Objectives of the 10TH Stop Cervical, Breast & Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference are:

• To look at the past then (10) years at our successes recorded in the continent and the different challenges faced individually in the different African countries with cervical, breast and prostate cancer prevention.
• To update and educate the stakeholders on recent developments in cervical, breast and prostate cancer prevention and other cancers in Africa and around the world. This will better inform the African community of Governments, NGO’s of the urgency and need for a comprehensive and holistic approach to cervical, breast and prostate cancer implementation programme.
• To galvanise and mobilise African governments, global support and funding for cervical, breast and prostate cancer prevention. The focus will be on concrete steps and new ways to tap the required resources in Africa and around the world needed to fund cervical, breast and prostate cancer prevention.

As First Lady Roman Tesfaye indicated, the conference serves as a platform to African health professionals to reflect on the challenges faced in the prevention and control of cervical, breast and prostate cancer over the past decade.

Indeed, as the Ethiopian First Lady noted:

"Causing more than 8million deaths annually cancer kills more people than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. And with the fact that cancer is no longer only the problem of the developed world established with evidence; African countries need to invest significantly in making cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment facilities and services available for their population.

Most importantly, we need to work relentlessly towards creating awareness among our people so that the effort to provide adequate medical services is backed with effective preventive measures as well as early diagnosis and treatment which factors significantly in reducing the number of deaths caused by cancer."

African First Ladies gathered in Addis Ababa to advance this noble cause and transform the lives of millions.