IsDB – IAEA Partnership for Breast and Cervical Cancer Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

The IsDB and the IAEA have a longstanding, successful collaboration to support Member States of both entities in improving cancer control and expanding access to effective, safe and sustainable cancer prevention, diagnostics and treatment services.

In recognition of the increasing need of women affected by breast and cervical cancer, both organizations jointly launched The Partnership Initiative for Breast and Cervical Cancer Control in Low-and Middle-Income Countries during the 63rd IAEA General Conference in 2019.

The striking need to address women’s cancers as a matter of priority and to scale up effective diagnosis and treatment services is pressing. Significant investments involving a broad range of partners in comprehensive cancer control are required and crucial to improving the quality of life of women affected by cancer while at the same time strengthening national health systems.

The IAEA, the World Health Organizations and other international organizations have – under their respective mandates – been working for decades to support Member States in improving cancer control and expand access to screening and effective, safe and sustainable cancer diagnostics and treatment services. This work needs to be expanded.

To effectively address the challenge at hand, the IsDB and the IAEA developed the Partnership Initiative for Breast and Cervical Cancer Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, aiming to:

• Contribute to the global effort to save millions of women’s lives from breast and cervical cancer by giving them a fair chance through increased access to prevention, diagnostic and treatment, in cooperation with other United Nations partners; 
• Provide a tangible contribution towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 5, 9 and 17 by working with other United Nations partners to improve gender equality and basic human rights, access to health services and improved sexual and reproductive health and rights of women as well as encouraging innovation, increase research and development spending.