Chronic Diseases and Cancer in Africa

The large burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is increasingly becoming apparent in low- and-middle income countries where childhood illnesses and infectious diseases are being successfully tackled. The United Nations High Level Meeting on NCDs, including cancer, recognised the need to strengthen health systems by building on existing services such as those for maternal health. As a result of increasing calls for non-vertical health system approaches, women's cancers will begin to be addressed in a life-course approach alongside maternal health.

This interest group links INDEPTH demographic surveillance sites in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana with the African Cancer Registry Network and the Union for International Cancer Control. The network aims to generate better knowledge on female reproductive cancer epidemiology, biology and socio-cultural attitudes. In particular, it  aims to  help strengthen monitoring systems to improve and extend epidemiological data on female reproductive organ cancers; to help develop a cancer prevention and care approach adapted to African primary care systems; to conduct clinical research on the biology of female cancers; and to develop networks for stronger collaboration between research institutions, civil society networks and NGOs.