CARPHA joins forces with Martinique Cancer Registry to support cancer prevention and control
CARPHA and the Martinique Cancer Registry inked an MOU to promote cancer surveillance and control in the region.
Cancer is the second largest cause of mortality in the Caribbean, affecting health and development.
The MOU aims to boost the quality, availability, and use of cancer registry data to inform cancer control planning across the Caribbean, according to CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Joy St. John.
Dr. St. John said that at a 2007 summit on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), CARICOM Heads of Government promised to creating cancer surveillance programs. She noted that Caribbean countries pledged to lowering premature death by 25% by 2025 and called the MOU “another milestone”
Assistant Secretary General of CARICOM, Alison Drayton, emphasized CARPHA and the Martinique Cancer Registry’s collaboration.
Cancer registries are essential for research and strategic planning. Cancer is one of the major causes of preventable mortality in the Caribbean, therefore collecting comparable, authentic, comprehensive, verified, and timely population-based data is crucial, she said.
Didier Chabert, France’s ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, backed the scheme.
“I’m certain this project will be a success and a beginning step toward broader medical cooperation between Martinique and CARICOM countries,” he said.
Jérôme Le Brière, CEO of University Hospital of Martinique, said, “By making a real contribution to the battle against cancer with our Caribbean partners, our institution is contributing to Martinique’s regional integration in its field of expertise.”
The IARC Caribbean Cancer Registry Hub was developed under the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development (GICR), led by the IARC and CARPHA in partnership with the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Lee Yan LaSur
Lee Yan is a journalist based in Cebu, Philippines. For the past 10 years, he has worked in the media and writes part-time for the St. Vincent Times.
