The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will mark?World Cancer Day by?hosting a?series of events to highlight advances made in saving lives from cancer and?the need to support?countries?in?providing?basic?cancer care.
The?World Cancer Day 2016?programme,?which includes the participation of IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano and government ministers and dignitaries from Austria, Honduras and Niger,?is?as follows:
3 February – Scientific lecture?– Vienna International Centre?
12:00-13:30 Boardroom B, M Building
- Professor?Christoph Zielinski,?Director of the Clinical Division of Oncology and Department of Medicine I, Medical University?of?Vienna –?Vienna?General Hospital
“New concepts in diagnosis and treatment of cancer – New challenges to the world”
- May Abdel-Wahab,?Director of IAEA’s Division of Human Health
“The changing landscape – Recent advances in radiotherapy”
A Q&A session will take place after the?lecture.?Interviews with individual speakers can be organized upon request.
4 February –?World Cancer Day Expo?– Vienna International Centre?
11:30-14:00 Rotunda, C Building
The IAEA will showcase?its?work in supporting countries to expand access to cancer?control.?
The event will be inaugurated by Aldo?Malavasi, Acting-Director General and Deputy Director General of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, with statements from Nelly?Enwerem-Bromson, the Director of the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT)?and May Abdel-Wahab, Director of IAEA’s Division of Human Health.
8 February – “The Enemy Within”,?UNIS?Ciné?ONU Vienna screening
18:30-20:30?Topkino,?Rahlgasse?1, 1060 Vienna
Science journalist and author Vivienne Parry,?OBE,?tells the incredible story of?the?fight against cancer over the last 50 years. The screening, organized in collaboration with United Nations Information Service (UNIS), will be followed by a discussion with Nelly Enwerem-Bromson, Director of IAEA’s PACT, Mona?Knotek-Roggenbauer, President of?Europa Donna,?Austria?and?Stephan?Mildschuh,?Study author, Gesundheit??sterreich.?It will be moderated by Martin?Nesirky, Director, UNIS.
9 February –?Roundtable discussion?– Vienna International Centre
16:00-18:00 Boardroom?C,?C?Building
“Joining forces to win the global battle against cancer”?
Held under the Patronage of Margit Fischer, First Lady of Austria?and hosted by the IAEA,?in collaboration with?the Federal Ministry of Health of Austria and the Organization of International Economic Relations (OiER).
Highlighting?this year’s World Cancer Day?theme, We?Can,?I Can,?panellists?will offer their international and national perspectives?on?how?strong partnerships?to address?cancer?can?bring considerable benefits.?Discussion will also focus on?improving?access to cancer care services to all in need,?and?on showing that progress?against this disease?is achievable.
The discussion will be moderated by Sonja Kato-Mailath-Pokorny, CEO of?Unikato-communications, Austria.?
The event will be formally opened by the following distinguished guests:
- Dr Sabine?Oberhauser, MAS,?Federal?Minister of Health, Austria
- Dr Malika Issoufou Mahamadou, First Lady of Niger
- Yukiya Amano, IAEA Director General?
The?expert panel?includes: ?
- Dr?Yolani?Batres,?Minister?of Health, Honduras
- Rakiatou?Kaffa,?Minister of Development, Niger
- Dr Ernest?Belembaogo, Director, National Cancer Hospital, Libreville, Gabon
- Neira?Kameric, Bosnian Cancer Survivor Network “MlaadiCe?BiH”
- Nicole?Denjoy, Vice-Chair of the Global Trade Association for the Medical Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Healthcare IT Industry
A Q&A session will take place after the panel discussion. Interviews with individual speakers can be organized upon request.
Background:
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. It?claimed?8.2 million?lives?in 2012.?A target within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?(SDGs)?looks to intensify efforts against?non-communicable?diseases, including cancer.?The?International Agency for Research on Cancer?(IARC)?estimates that by 2030, more than?13?million people will die of cancer every year. 69% of these?deaths?are expected to?occur in developing?countries,?which are?often?ill prepared?to cope with this?increasing threat to?public?health and socio-economic development.?More than a third?of?premature?cancer deaths could be?averted?if cases are detected and treated early, but many?low and middle income countries?lack appropriate?health?infrastructure, including radiotherapy facilities,?to provide such?life-saving?services. 26?African?countries have no radiotherapy units at all.?In order to increase cancer survival rates, access to?early detection, diagnostic and treatment services must be?dramatically?improved.?
World Cancer Day?aims to raise awareness?of the growing global?cancer?burden and?inspire the world to take action to?tackle?its effects.?For more than 30 years, the IAEA has?supported?Member States?in?improving?capacities?to deliver?cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care?services,?and has advocated?the sustainable integration of radiation medicine?into national cancer control planning. Through the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy?(PACT), the Agency works with international partners including?the World Health Organization?(WHO)?and?the?International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC),?to?develop and implement comprehensive national cancer control programmes?in?countries?in order?to use limited resources efficiently and effectively. The IAEA?plays a key role in mobilizing resources in support of cancer-related projects and initiatives throughout developing countries.
Accreditation:
All journalists are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans to attend. Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC need no additional credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation, to request it at?UNIS Vienna.
Others should contact Ingeborg Pucher for accreditation. Please email?press@iaea.org or call [43-1] 2600-21273.