On 10 December, Dr Rosa Giuliani, ESMO Director of Public Policy, participated in the International Conference Cancer Care in Kazakhstan. From the past to the future, offering an overview of ESMO’s global policy efforts and how ESMO is actively supporting WHO, UN and country initiatives towards Universal Health Coverage.
The event, organised on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology (KazIOR), provided an ideal lead-up to International Universal Health Coverage Day, celebrated on 12 December, and fully supported by ESMO.
"A perfect example of what we can achieve when we work together on public policy is the recent collaboration between the Kazakhstan Ministry of Health, the WHO and ESMO,“ said Giuliani during her speech at the conference’s Opening Ceremony.
Upon invitation from Kazakhstan and the WHO, ESMO reviewed the country’s cancer treatment protocols and cancer medicines, by evaluating them against the EMA medicine indications, the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the ESMO-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale scores, the ESMO Guidelines, and an expert peer review.
This led to the incorporation of new recommendations in the country’s 2018-2020 national cancer control plan. The joint project resulted in optimised cancer treatment protocols, as well as maintaining the country’s long-standing commitment to offer its citizens ‘evidence-based’ comprehensive cancer care as part of the country’s universal health coverage plan.
“This has positively impacted the daily practice of medical oncologists because all clinics can now have equal access to traditional and new innovative cancer medicines, thus improving patient care,” Giuliani added. “The collaboration between the Kazakhstan Ministry of Health, the WHO, and ESMO is an extraordinary example of how international collaboration on national public policy issues can positively affect the health and lives of so many people."