Sweden and the Philippines have entered a strategic partnership to accelerate cancer control efforts in the Philippines.
The collaboration will span initiatives across the entire cancer care continuum, with the key focus on cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, in line with the National Integrated Cancer Control Act.
The said countries signed an agreement on cancer care in a signing ceremony held between the Province of Bataan through Governor Jose Enrique Garcia III, Cancer Coalition Philippines, AstraZeneca Philippines, Elekta, and Ericsson on Friday.
The cancer care collaboration will launch in Bataan, aiming to transform cancer care in the province and set a benchmark for nationwide adoption.
“Bataan is spearheading the national government’s universal health coverage rollout, which synergizes well with our cancer care partnership with Sweden,” Bataan Governor Jose Enrique Garcia III said.
Garcis also noted that cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the province, with lung cancer for males, and breast cancer to females.
Sweden leads global cancer control effort with advanced care focused on early detection and prevention, supported by national screening programs and strong public health policies.
Sweden emphasizes multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and ensures holistic support for patients throughout their cancer journey by integrating treatment, palliative care and survivorship programmes.
Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center is leading the said Cancer Care Initiative. Medical Center Chief II, Dr. Glory V. Baltazar, is providing efforts such as early detection and diagnosis, health promotion, cancer prevention, cancer surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, as well as palliative care and pain management.
“We aim to initiate this partnership by establishing a comprehensive and a robust Cancer Registry. We also look forward to collaborating with cancer specialists from Sweden, renowned for their expertise in cancer care and their ability to provide the highest quality of life for cancer patients.” Dr. Baltazar said.
Meanwhile, the three industry partners, namely AstraZeneca, Elekta, and Ericsson noted their strong footprint in the country. The industry partners assured their commitment to the health sector.
“Our team at AstraZeneca is inspired by our ambition to provide cancer cure through our life-changing medicines, alongside partnerships that allow early detection, diagnosis, and equitable care for Filipino patients with cancer,” Philippines Country President, AstraZeneca Ms. Lotis Ramin, said.
Meanwhile Ericsson aims to utilizing mobile connectivity to accelerate digital transformation in industries, such as healthcare. Head of Ericsson Singapore, Philippines and Brunei, Daniel Ode, noted that the company has been in the country since the early stage of data connection in the country.
“5G connectivity has the potential to revolutionize various aspects of healthcare and enhance patient outcomes, such as telesurgery and remote diagnostics. We have seen this in our partnerships with leading health institutions worldwide,” Daniel Ode, said.
Meanwhile, Elektra which specializes in precision radiation therapy, aims to contribute to the improved cancer centre workflow and enhanced user experience to simplify complex cancer care.
“Our Purpose at Elekta is to provide hope for everyone dealing with cancer, we envision a world where everyone has access to the best cancer care,” Managing Director SEA, Elekta, Samuel Lee said.
The Sweden-Philippine Cancer Care collaboration aims to expand its initiative to more areas and hospitals in the country.
