Washington – Angola’s First Lady Ana Dias Lourenço Wednesday in Washington DC, United States, considered crucial “the mobilisation of more resources for the investigation and prevention of cancer in girls and women in the African continent ”.
Angolan First Lady launched that appeal during a panel chaired by the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, dedicated to the African First Ladies.
Ana Dias Lourenço said that there was a need for support for African countries to implement research programmes and epidemiological surveillance, create a database ( Population-Based Cancer Registry), for the definition of strategies based on scientific evidence, with a view to controlling the disease.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the US-Africa Summit, addressed the theme “Breaking down barriers to cancer treatment for women and girls”.
Also addressed the meeting Pepfar, pharmaceutical company Roche and BHE Group physician and CEO, Melissa Clarke Bruce.
The participants spoke about risk factors, preventive measures, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, especially breast and cervical cancer.
Held at the Kennedy Center, the event brought together First Ladies of Angola, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Namibia, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Gabon, Liberia, Madagascar, Ethiopia, and the husband of the US Vice President Doug Emhoff.
In her address, the US First Lady reaffirmed her commitment to the fight against cancer.
According to her, the United States will promote initiatives to reduce the “burden of cancer” in Africa, with support from the Government and private sector partners.
