Experts from Canada-based Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration (2WCC) on Thursday pledged support to evolve a cancer control programme for the patients in Visakhapatnam and other parts of Andhra Pradesh.

A team of international healthcare professionals including Dr. Simon Sutcliff, clinical oncologist and president of 2WCC; Dr. Gillian Fyles, director of Sandi and executive director of 2WCC; and J.N. Jagannath, executive committee member, Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society in Hyderabad, came to the city to study the situation here.

They visited St. Joseph Hospice and Home Palliative Care Project and the homes of some patients who are in the advanced stages of cancer.

Population-based approach

Dr. Sutcliff held discussions on extension of palliative care services to the entire State with the Age Care Foundation. Advocating the population-based approach to check cancer, he said: “We are playing a key role in reducing the suffering of patients and improving the outcomes in the countries facing challenges pertaining to availability of resources. Channelling our expertise with a focus on childhood cancers, palliative care, we are helping evolve cancer control programmes in India and other countries such as Brazil, Nepal and Peru as well.”

He further said that they were trying to explore the principles of cancer control from population-focused view in the context of different cultures and economies.

“The challenge is how to find those relationships where one can do something meaningful and add some value,” he said.

2WCC director (palliative care) Dr. Gayatri Palat said that they were committed to palliative care, mitigating the sufferings of patients.

Age Care Foundation chairman G. Sambasiva Rao, vice-chairman Kumar Raja, managing trustee Dr. N.S. Raju and members Supraja and Satya interacted discussed future collaborations with the visiting team.