Brace for 'tsunami' of cancer cases, say experts in UAE

Dubai - 18 million cancer cases were reported globally in 2018.

The private sector will be included in providing quality and affordable care to patients to meet an expected 'tsunami' of cancer coming our way, experts said at a conference held on March 12.
The Economist Events' second War on Cancer Middle East brought together global leaders in healthcare, policymakers and prominent thinkers to explore strategies and tackle the rising incidence of cancer in the region.
Madhu Sasidhar, chief medical officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said 18 million cancer cases were reported globally in 2018. "We do not understand the disease completely yet," he said.
The number of cases in Dubai, in particular, is increasing as the emirate emerges as a population hub within the UAE, another expert said.
Dr Younis Mohammed Amin Kazim, chief executive officer of Dubai Healthcare Corporation, said: "Dubai is witnessing a growing burden of morbidity and mortality related to oncology. Oncology care in Dubai is available, but currently fragmented.
"Dubai is emerging as a population hub within the UAE, with 29 per cent of the country's population. This share is expected to increase in the future due to economic growth, and greater insurance penetration," he said.
He also said that the private sector will play an important role in making cancer care and treatment affordable in Dubai.
"We are working to enhance the current cancer care in Dubai to offer a world-class, internationally recognised service to Emiratis, expatriates and healthcare tourists," he said.
"To deliver the services in the most financially optimal way, we have to enhance our collaboration with the private sector. This will minimise the outflow of patients seeking care abroad and utilise the savings to deliver cost-effective improvements in local care," added Dr Kazim.
Discussions at the conference also focused around how a cancer-care pathway should be designed, funded and implemented across the Middle East. Healthcare stakeholders shed light on what needs to be done to improve prevention, screening, early detection and treatment, as well as ways to educate the population about healthy lifestyle choices.
Speaking at the conference, Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, president of the Union for International Cancer Control, said: "We need strong and people-centred health systems, at the heart of which are empowered individuals and communities.
"In order to achieve this, we have to address the social determinants of health that create the large disparities in access to quality cancer treatment and care."
A preview of the findings of the Index for Cancer Preparedness was also presented at the event. Alan Lovell, senior associate for health policy and clinical evidence, Economist Intelligence Unit, said: "Effective cancer control happens within the context of good, ideally universal, healthcare. Cancer planning and investment need to build up general resources and embed prevention, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment interventions within wider primary, secondary and tertiary care.
"An important tool in this is building intelligence through high-quality, population-based cancer registries. The creative use of a growing number of additional data sources should also provide invaluable insight."
'Most kids with cancer not covered by insurance'
Most children suffering from cancer are not covered by insurance, said Dr Sawsan Al Mahdi, director-general of Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP).
Speaking during the strategy sessions on childhood cancers, Dr Sawsan said the FoCP provides financial assistance to such children.
"Bone marrow transplant facilities are also not available for children in the UAE and, therefore, they have to be sent abroad for treatment, for which we provide financial help," she said.
The UAE, Dr Sawsan said, would need to create a structured programme to detect childhood cancers.
"We have largely been focusing on adult cancers, but, last year, we started a school programme 'Ana' (Me) in schools to make them aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer," she said.
Sima Jeha, director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, explained: "Many children with cancer lack the access and the financial means to get accurate diagnosis and quality care."
She said that the Millennium Development Goals resulted in reductions in infant mortality and deaths from communicable disease over the past two decades.
"This means children will live long enough to develop cancer. In many low and middle-income countries, healthcare systems are not ready to adequately address non-communicable diseases such as childhood cancer," she added.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com