PRESS RELEASE

Dubai, UAE, 4 March 2019:  As part of The Economist Events’ War on Cancer Middle East conference, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) will present the Cancer Preparedness Index, discussing the results of current cancer research and key findings. War on Cancer Middle East will be held on March 12th, 2019 at Rixos, Jumeirah Beach Residence, The Walk, Dubai.

The conference provides an opportunity for policymakers, industry leaders, health-care providers, insurers, and prominent thinkers to explore how a cancer-care pathway should be designed, funded and implemented across the Middle East.

During the conference Alan Lovell, senior associate, health policy and clinical evidence, EIU will present the main results from the Index, and describe how countries need to invest, set out a roadmap, embed cancer care in the wider health system, and improve data collection. “Results show that while most countries have made some progress in terms of policy and planning, there has been less progress in the delivery of cancer care and its integration into the wider health system including primary care,” said Lovell. “Australia, the Netherlands and Germany top the Index, and Index scores generally show a correlation to healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP i.e. the higher the expenditure, the higher the score.”

Speakers at the War on Cancer Middle East include Tareef Yousef Alaama, deputy minister for therapeutic services, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, president, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC); Dr. Younis Mohammed Amin Kazim, chief executive officer, Dubai Healthcare Corporation; Dr. Omar Nimri, head, cancer prevention and control department, Ministry of Health, Jordan; Dr. Asem H. Mansour, chief executive officer and director general, King Hussein Cancer Center; Wahid Al Kharusi, president, Oman Cancer Association and Sima Jeha, member, Department of global paediatric medicine and member, Department of oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Dr. Asem H. Mansour, chief executive officer and director general, King Hussein Cancer Center said, “There are major challenges in accessibility to cancer care in the Middle East, including lack of affordable, consistent service, availability of medications, and delivery of care in non-urban geographies. The discussions will tackle the building blocks of Universal Health Coverage systems for low and medium income citizens, particularly in the MENA region. It will look into ways to expand existing infrastructure and improve connectivity; shedding light on the role of multiple stakeholders and public-private partnerships in ensuring coverage and service delivery to all.”

War on Cancer Middle East 2019 is supported by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Other supporting organisations include the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), AmCham Abu Dhabi, British Business Group Dubai & Northern Emirates, the European Association for Cancer Research and The Economist Intelligence Unit Healthcare.

This conference is certified by Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification Service and eligible for 5.5 CPD points.

As part of The Economist Events’ War on Cancer Middle East conference, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) will present the Cancer Preparedness Index, discussing the results of current cancer research and key findings. War on Cancer Middle East will be held on March 12th, 2019 at Rixos, Jumeirah Beach Residence, The Walk, Dubai.

The conference provides an opportunity for policymakers, industry leaders, health-care providers, insurers, and prominent thinkers to explore how a cancer-care pathway should be designed, funded and implemented across the Middle East.

During the conference Alan Lovell, senior associate, health policy and clinical evidence, EIU will present the main results from the Index, and describe how countries need to invest, set out a roadmap, embed cancer care in the wider health system, and improve data collection. “Results show that while most countries have made some progress in terms of policy and planning, there has been less progress in the delivery of cancer care and its integration into the wider health system including primary care,” said Lovell. “Australia, the Netherlands and Germany top the Index, and Index scores generally show a correlation to healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP i.e. the higher the expenditure, the higher the score.”

Speakers at the War on Cancer Middle East include Tareef Yousef Alaama, deputy minister for therapeutic services, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, president, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC); Dr. Younis Mohammed Amin Kazim, chief executive officer, Dubai Healthcare Corporation; Dr. Omar Nimri, head, cancer prevention and control department, Ministry of Health, Jordan; Dr. Asem H. Mansour, chief executive officer and director general, King Hussein Cancer Center; Wahid Al Kharusi, president, Oman Cancer Association and Sima Jeha, member, Department of global paediatric medicine and member, Department of oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Dr. Asem H. Mansour, chief executive officer and director general, King Hussein Cancer Center said, “There are major challenges in accessibility to cancer care in the Middle East, including lack of affordable, consistent service, availability of medications, and delivery of care in non-urban geographies. The discussions will tackle the building blocks of Universal Health Coverage systems for low and medium income citizens, particularly in the MENA region. It will look into ways to expand existing infrastructure and improve connectivity; shedding light on the role of multiple stakeholders and public-private partnerships in ensuring coverage and service delivery to all.”

War on Cancer Middle East 2019 is supported by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Other supporting organisations include the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), AmCham Abu Dhabi, British Business Group Dubai & Northern Emirates, the European Association for Cancer Research and The Economist Intelligence Unit Healthcare.

This conference is certified by Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification Service and eligible for 5.5 CPD points. For more information about the event or to register, please visit The Economist Events website.