Minister Basnet stresses on combined endeavors for access to quality cancer care

Minister for Health and Population, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, has insisted on collective efforts to ensure people access to quality cancer treatment.

In his address to a two-day national workshop on ‘treatment endeveours for childhood cancer in Nepal’ organised by the Kanti Children’s Hospital at Dhulikhel of Kavrepalanchowk Thursday, the health minister said social and economic status should never be determinant for children’s access to quality cancer care.

“The government is committed to ensuring children’s access to cancer treatment despite their economic, social and other backgrounds. We can build a society where childhood cancer no longer remains as a devastating health complication, but is a manageable health issue,” he said, adding that experiences, knowledge and view of conchologists did matter in the management of childhood cancer.

“Childhood cancer cure remains as a grave challenge in Nepal,” the minister said who was hopeful that this kind of workshops would be helpful to find a sustainable achievement in the cancer management through a fair assessment of the situation with deeper discussions and analysis.

He urged the Nepali health professional’s community to contribute equally for the achievement in the battle against cancer in children.

Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population, Tanka Barakoti, urged the bodies concerned to monitor the situation of childhood cancer-affected.

In the event that was supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Roberta from the WHO Headquarters said lately noticeable achievements in cancer care had been possible due to a strengthened health system, underlining the need of readiness to face challenges in its management.

According to Kanti Children’s Hospital director Dr Yuwanidhi Basaula, every child is vulnerable to diseases and they are not free from the risk of cancer and all should be concerned about the health of children. Combined efforts are necessary to combat childhood cancer.

The event is attended by WHO South East Asian nations’ representatives and cancer treatment facilities in Nepal.