title: The need for a national cancer policy in Malawi.
abstract: Cancer is causing a lot of suffering and death in Africa but is not considered a major health problem in Africa. This needs to change. Cancer should be given equal emphasis to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. A national cancer policy is required in Malawi to develop and improve evidence-based cancer prevention, early diagnosis, curative and palliative therapy. A national cancer policy is crucial to ensure a priotised, clear, coordinated and sustained fight against cancer. When no policy exists, events are likely to be random, stakeholders and practitioners in the fight against cancer may not agree on how to proceed, may duplicate efforts or may neglect areas that would have greater nationwide impact resulting in poor quality activities and haphazard development.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi. yohanniemlombe@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Yohannie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mlombe
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Othieno-Abinya
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dzamalala
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chisi
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008295:Malawi; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D011787:Quality of Health Care