- The most frequently occurring neoplasms in Arequipa are prostate, breast, cervical, stomach and lung cancer.
- Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Peru.
- The Memorandum of Understanding is a framework document for cooperation focused on the cancer patient, taking a multisectoral approach
Arequipa, April 30 – After joining the global network of C/Can cities working to improve cancer treatment worldwide in January of this year, Arequipa (Peru) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising its participation in the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can) initiative.
The framework cooperation document will be signed at the Arequipa Trabaja Contra el Cáncer (Arequipa, Working Against Cancer) event by the Regional Government of Arequipa, City Hall, the Regional Health Management, the South Regional Institute of Neoplastic Diseases, the Southern Branch of the Peruvian Society of Medical Oncology, and C/Can.
To achieve the objectives outlined in the MoU, the multi-sectoral collaboration will be essential, meaning that all stakeholders in the city of Arequipa will participate in the upcoming needs assessment, design, planning and implementation of projects to improve cancer treatments and services. On this occasion, the signing of the MoU will be accompanied by round tables during which national and local experts will discuss the decentralisation of cancer care, the challenges faced by the main cancer service providers in Arequipa and coordination between the public and private sector to strengthen cancer control efforts.
Welcoming the MoU, C/Can’s Regional Director for Latin America, Maria Fernanda Navarro, said, “This MoU recognises C/Can’s commitment to encourage and support the city of Arequipa to lead in improving the health of its population, while reducing inequalities in access to quality cancer care.”
Edy Loayza, Regional Health Manager of Arequipa, added: “This MoU is based on a shared commitment to work together through effective and meaningful partnerships to build a healthier and sustainable community in order to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the global objective of reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, including cancer, by one-third by 2030.”
Located in the south of the country, Arequipa is Peru’s second-largest city, with a population of more than 1.2 million. According to the Peruvian Ministry of Health (MINSA), cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the country, with approximately 35,000 cancer deaths each year. According to Globocan estimates, Peru will close this year with more than 70,000 new cases in total, up 6% on 2018. By 2040, the figure is expected to reach 125,000.
Arequipa has demonstrated its commitment to addressing the local cancer burden by bringing together key local stakeholders from the private, public and civil society sectors.
With technical and financial support from C/Can, the MoU signatories will initiate a participatory, multi-sectoral process in the city by forming a City Executive Committee (CEC), through which, over the course of two to three years, local stakeholders will conduct a needs assessment to identify, plan and implement priority cancer care solutions tailored to the city’s resources.
Since January, Arequipa has been working closely with C/Can’s regional and global teams, recruiting a local manager to coordinate the collaborative activities, while outlining the roles and responsibilities of all key stakeholders and establishing a timeline of activities and milestones to be accomplished. By combining local empowerment and leadership with C/Can’s global field experience, Arequipa is expected to achieve results that are replicable at the regional and national levels.
About the City Cancer Challenge Foundation.
