Experts have made a call for greater investment in cancer research and treatment at the WISH 2024 global healthcare summit – warning that, without it, the world’s health systems face severe strain.

The discussion – which focused on the societal and economic burden of breast and cervical cancers and outlined how an increasingly ageing society, coupled with poor lifestyle choices, is leading to more cancer deaths – was part of the opening day of the two-day event hosted by Qatar Foundation’s World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), which concludes on 14 November.

In the session, titled ‘The Case for Investing in Women’s Cancer Care’, Dr. Lamia Mahmoud, the World Health Organization’s Regional Advisor for Noncommunicable Disease Prevention, highlighted the cancer situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, saying: “If you look at the mortality-to-incidence ratio, it tells us that more women are dying in our region than in other regions in the world.

“This means we have to invest in prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.”

Mahmoud explained that, according to recently published research, the economic burden of breast and cervical cancer stood at US$15 billion in 2020 and is expected to rise to US$379 billion by 2040. These figures include healthcare costs, societal costs, and the value lost to society through women’s premature deaths.

His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Khalid Bin Jabor Al Thani, Founder and Chairman, Qatar Cancer Society, explained that there is a significant stigma surrounding these diseases, making people reluctant to discuss them.

“People don’t think they might be susceptible to breast or cervical cancer,” he said. “But nobody is shielded.

“We have changed the way we have approached people, the way we talk to people. And while there has been tremendous progress over the last few decades, there is still much to be done.”

Dr. Jennifer Huang Bouey, MD, PhD, MPH, Chair of the Department of Global Health, Georgetown University, told the discussion: “People are living longer. An increasingly aging society, the lifestyle we’re adopting everywhere – which relates to the type of diet and also lack of activity – are leading to more cancer deaths.

“I cannot emphasize more the need for investment in treating cancer, because otherwise it will break all health systems globally.”

According to Bouey, clinical trials and new developments will increase the effectiveness of treatment. But focusing on primary and secondary prevention, she said: “Many cost-effective analyses have shown that primary prevention – targeting the healthy population to reduce the risks, like lifestyle changes and increasing cancer awareness – is the most cost effective.

“And then there is secondary prevention, which involves screening and early detection, using portable technology so that women in remote areas can get early detection and early treatment.”

WISH 2024, taking place at Qatar National Convention Centre, is being held under the theme ‘Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity and Resilience’ and is addressing some of the world’s most pressing health issues.

The summit has brought together more than 200 experts in health and around 3,000 delegates to discuss evidence-based ideas and practices in healthcare innovation with the aim of addressing the world’s most urgent global health challenges. For more information, please visit: https://wish.org.qa/