Authorities in the health sector have stressed on the need for action-based research if Malawi is to win the fight against cancer disease.
The remarks have been made in Lilongwe during a 4th Malawi Cancer Symposium organised by UNC Project Malawi where key stakeholders discussed issues to do with cancer strategy, care, advocacy and research in the country.
In an interview, Director of Cancer Programme at UNC Project Malawi Dr Tamiwe Tomoka said despite Malawi making strides in research, more needs to be done on dissemination of such findings.
She said: “Research is where we do for look for answers and the questions are determined by the problems and the need we have.
“We need to have our own local answers that’s why research is very necessary, so we do research, we have answers, so these answers translate, we take them into clinical care.”
The overall objective of the symposium is to share updates and performance of cancer prevention and control interventions in Malawi.
An objective chosen to be in line with the 6 focus areas outlined in our National Cancer Control Strategic Plan (2019-29) which includes: prevention, screening and early diagnosis, treatment and follow up care, palliative care and survivorship, and monitoring and evaluation.
Concurring with Dr Tomoka, World Health Organisation Representative Dr. Neema Kimambo said authorities need to put much investment in infrastructure.
“There is still more work to do in terms of ensuring that people have access to early screening because when people are screened early and there is early detection then survival is high,” said Dr Kimambo.
The two-day Symposium is being held under the theme: “Integrating research and care to improve cancer outcomes”.
Meanwhile, government through Deputy Minister of Health Enock Phale acknowledged that it is not possible to fight against cancer single handedly without the participation of various partners.
“It is my expectation that the scientific knowledge which will be shared at this Symposium will help in shaping policy on cancer control and management, apart from its use in the academic domain,” hoped Phale.
According to Dr Tomoka, Malawi is registering 19, 000 people annually who are being diagnosed with cancer.
