Prayagraj,

21 Feb (HS): The high level international conference with the theme ‘advancing

political leadership for equitable cancer care’ organized by International

Cancer Patient Coalition (ICPC) and SHUATS was concluded on Friday with

high-level panels and strategic discussions for developing actionable

frameworks for building sustainable cancer care through partnerships and

envisaging strategies for ethical and patient-centered innovations and

personalized health care in cancer.

Dr.

Radha Rani Ghosh, Head & Senior Consultant Oncologist, Kamala Nehru

Memorial Hospital, Prayagraj, Dr. Do Huyen Nga, Head of Medical Hematologic

Malignancies Department, National Cancer Hospital, Vietnam, and Dr. B.S.

Srinath, Senior Consultant Surgical oncologist and Head of the Institution

(Managing Trustee), at Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Center,

Bangalore delivered their insights on the theme- ‘highlighting innovative

funding models and capacity-building strategies’.

The speakers emphasized that

in order to ensure effective cancer research; funding models should support

strategic capacity building, fostering resilience and innovation. Policies that

ensure fair distribution of funds, simplify grant applications, and promote

collaboration across sectors can boost research efficiency and accelerate the

application of discoveries in clinical settings. Dr. Zisis Kozlakidis, Head,

Laboratory Services and Biobanking, International Agency for Research on Cancer

(IARC), France shared that the biobanking landscape in cancer research is

highly fragmented, consisting of islands of excellence.

Dr. Radha Rani

advocated that a unified effort by Government agencies coupled with

motivational groups and improved public awareness and outreach programme will

help us achieve our goal of cancer control in this vast country, she said that

oncology must be included in MBBS study curriculum. Professor of Barcelona

University Spain Dr. Karim Lekadir shared about trustworthy AI for safe and

accessible cancer care.

Dr.

B. Paul Thaliath, Additional Director, Regional Cancer Centre, Kamla Nehru

Memorial Hospital, Prayagraj, Dr. Sudhendu Shekhar, Director, Oncology Cygnus

Hospital, Varanasi, Dr. Sonia Tiwari, Cancer Specialist, Department of

Radiation Oncology at Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital Prayagraj, Dr. Mandy Thoo,

Deputy Director for Community Engagement at the National Cancer Society of

Malaysia have shared their views on ethical and patient-centered innovations in

cancer care.

Dr.

Maricar Sabeniano, palliative care specialist at Philippine General Hospital,

Dr. Shanta Sharma, public health expert, Department of Community Medicine at

Devdaha Medical College and Research Institute, Nepal, Dr. Delia Nicoară,

public health and management specialist, Oncology Institute “Prof. Dr. Ion

Chiricuță,” Cluj-Napoca Romania and Dr. Varidmala Jain, public health expert,

Secretary of Trishla Foundation, Prayagraj discussed on public health and

personalized healthcare. Advances in genomics, data analytics, and precision

medicine allow public health strategies to be more targeted, addressing both

community needs and individual health risks. By integrating both approaches,

healthcare systems can enhance disease prevention, improve treatment

effectiveness, and promote overall well-being at both the population and

personal levels.

The

two day Summit came to its end with the summary of commitments by Prof. (Dr.)

Denis Horgan, Secretary General, International Cancer Patient Coalition (ICPC)

& Executive Director, European Alliance for Personalised Medicine. Esteemed

Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assembly appreciated the

stakeholders’commitment to promoting equity in cancer care through global

collaboration.

The City North MLA of Prayagraj Er. Harshvardhan Bajpai online

joined the validictory function and appreciated the suggestions made by the

healthcare professionals for cancer care and prevention. Prof. (Dr.) Rajendra

B. Lal, Vice Chancellor, SHUATS delivered the closing remarks. The Summit was

remarkable that it has brought together policymakers and healthcare professionals

representing twelve countries from different geopolitical background.

The

international summit is scheduled to return in November 2025 on a grander

scale, bringing together an even broader group of policy makers, healthcare

experts, patient advocates, industry representatives and researchers to enhance

collaboration and impact.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi