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Remarks at One-on-One with African First Ladies

New York, USA
Forum of African First Ladies

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am especially pleased to attend this event with you today and to talk about cancer control in developing countries. This has been a high priority for me since I became IAEA Director General in 2009.

My first trip as Director General was to Nigeria. I was shocked when I visited a cancer hospital to learn that many women in this part of Africa feel ashamed when they learn that they have cancer. Sometimes they leave their homes and go off and die alone. This is very sad.

You are all familiar with the World Economic Forum in Davos. It is a huge event, attended by many world leaders. The first time I went, I attended a session on breast cancer. This caused some surprise as most people think the IAEA is only interested in Iran’s nuclear programme. The panel were discussing at what age women should be screened for breast cancer. I raised my hand and said: “Before we discuss this topic, let me say that I have just been to Africa, where many women have no access to screening at all. You need to think about these people.”

In my early months at the IAEA, I learned more about the Agency’s work in the cancer field. I became familiar with the dreadful statistics for cancer deaths in Africa. I learned that many African countries do not have the equipment they need to deal with cancer. I became passionate about cancer control in developing countries. I raised the issue whenever I met world leaders and I called for cancer to be recognised as a global health issue.

So I am very pleased that the new Sustainable Development Goals, for the first time, recognise the huge importance of non-communicable diseases, including cancer.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

For more than 30 years, the IAEA has worked with Member States and international partners, through our technical cooperation programme, to improve countries’ capacity in cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care.

Our Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy – PACT – helps countries to use limited resources efficiently and effectively.

Between 1983 and 2014, the IAEA invested around 279 million euros in cancer and radiotherapy projects throughout the world – more than a quarter of it in Africa.

Many countries have worked with us to integrate diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy technologies into national cancer control programmes. This improves survival rates for millions of patients.

Our mission is to transfer technologies to help save lives. We provide training for medical and technical personnel. Sometimes we help to make equipment available. We help countries build up the necessary cancer expertise so they can one day become self-sufficient.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The one message I would like to send to all of you today is: Please raise your voices about cancer!

When I talk about cancer to development banks and other funding organisations, they say: This is very interesting, Mr Amano, but we are not hearing this from the developing countries themselves.

So I ask you to let everyone know that cancer is a major priority for your country. When the funding organisations start to hear this from your heads of state, your First Ladies and your ministers, they will start to pay attention.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The IAEA is a technical organisation. Advocacy and mounting great publicity campaigns are not our strong point. So we really need your support.

But we do deliver when it comes to technology transfer and capacity building. We do help countries gain access to the technologies that can save the lives of cancer patients. And we are committed to doing more.

The Forum of African First Ladies has done a terrific job in helping to move cancer higher up the global political agenda. I am very proud to be your partner. Let us continue to work together towards the ultimate goal of equitable access for all patients to the highest standards of cancer care, wherever they live.

Thank you.

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Last update: 25 Nov 2019

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