El cáncer como prioridad en la agenda sanitaria / Cancer as a priority on the health agenda

El cáncer concentra el 20% del total de defunciones en el país y representa la segunda causa de muerte. El objetivo de esta investigación operativa fue elaborar un análisis de situación con propuestas de mejora para incorporar al cáncer en la agenda política de los candidatos presidenciales. El estudio incluyó técnicas cualicuantitativas, el uso del Monitoreo de Resultados para un Sistema de Equidad (MoRES, "Monitoring Results for Equity System") para identificar brechas en relación a derechos vulnerados, mapeo de actores, uso de herramientas analíticas epidemiológicas y comunicacionales. Los resultados mostraron dos ejes programáticos para acercar propuestas a los distintos espacios políticos: incremento y optimización del financiamiento y la gestión de la enfermedad, por un lado, y, por el otro, incremento y optimización del financiamiento de los registros oncológicos a nivel provincial que permita mejorar la calidad de los datos. Todos tenemos responsabilidades sobre el monitoreo de las acciones y la implementación de la agenda de salud. Con la información disponible, Argentina está en condiciones de avanzar sobre la reducción en brechas de inequidades, pero hace falta que los portadores de derechos y de obligaciones se movilicen con visión y agenda compartida, un gran desafío que no es imposible de alcanzar. (AU)

Cancer represents the second cause of death, concentrating approximately 20% of the total deaths. The objective of this operational investigation was to elaborate a situation analysis with proposals for improvement to place cancer on the political agenda of presidential candidates. The study included qualitative and quantitative techniques, the use of MoRES ("Monitoring Results for Equity System") to identify inequality gaps in relation to violated rights, stakeholder mapping, the use of epidemiological and communicational analytical tools. The results of two programmatic axes to bring proposals to the different political spaces: improvements in financing and disease management, on the one hand, and, on the other, better financing and management of cancer registries at the provincial level that allowsimproving the quality of the data. We all have responsibilities on health agenda. With the available information, Argentina is in a position to move forward on the reduction of inequity and inequality gaps. An informed society, committed to health and aware of where priorities are, can contribute more and better to the formulation of a based rights health agenda. (AU)

A snapshot of cancer in Chile: analytical frameworks for developing a cancer policy

INTRODUCTION: The South American country Chile now boasts a life expectancy of over 80 years. As a consequence, Chile now faces the increasing social and economic burden of cancer and must implement political policy to deliver equitable cancer care. Hindering the development of a national cancer policy is the lack of comprehensive analysis of cancer infrastructure and economic impact. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate existing cancer policy, the extent of national investigation and the socio-economic impact of cancer to deliver guidelines for the framing of an equitable national cancer policy. METHODS: Burden, research and care-policy systems were assessed by triangulating objective system metrics -epidemiological, economic, etc. - with political and policy analysis. Analysis of the literature and governmental databases was performed. The oncology community was interviewed and surveyed. RESULTS: Chile utilizes 1% of its gross domestic product on cancer care and treatment. We estimate that the economic impact as measured in Disability Adjusted Life Years to be US$ 3.5 billion. Persistent inequalities still occur in cancer distribution and treatment. A high quality cancer research community is expanding, however, insufficient funding is directed towards disproportionally prevalent stomach, lung and gallbladder cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Chile has a rapidly ageing population wherein 40% smoke, 67% are overweight and 18% abuse alcohol, and thus the corresponding burden of cancer will have a negative impact on an affordable health care system. We conclude that the Chilean government must develop a national cancer strategy, which the authors outline herein and believe is essential to permit equitable cancer care for the country.