ChiCa's key activities and areas of focus

Improve early detection of childhood cancer by:

• Advocating for early detection of childhood cancer to become an integral part global childhood-health programmes.
  UICC will lead advocacy efforts to raise awareness among the main actors of the global childhood health arena regarding the survival disparities related to childhood cancer. Together with its global partners, UICC will compel key stakeholders to include early detection, referral and treatment for childhood cancer into their exisisting programmes.

• Supporting the development and implementation of proven tools for early detection of childhood cancer at primary health care and community levels.
  UICC will support WHO/PAHO efforts to validate and implement the “Module for early Detection of Childhood Cancers” for its “Integrated Management of Childhood Cancer” (IMCI) strategy. IMCI  strategy consists in the creation of a single evaluation sequence of diagnosis and treatment of the most common diseases, including preventive measures and health promotion. Developed by WHO and UNICEF in 1996, has had a major impact in reducing children mortality and morbidity since its adoption in over a hundred LMICs. IMCI dramatically reduces missed opportunities for early detection and treatment of childhood health problems, and for educating parents in the proper care of the child in the home and the early detection of warning signs that signal a need to seek help ². IMCI “Module for early Detection of Childhood Cancers” was successfully tested in Brazil and is ready for further validation in 4 countries before translation into WHO official languages to make it widely available to LMICs.

Increase the availability of experts in childhood cancer management  by:

• Dramatically increasing training opportunities for selected countries,
  UICC renowned Fellowship programme will be put to the service of an intensive increase in the availability of experts in selected countries. Working with partners that already have successful interventions in place, childhood cancer fellows will be carefully selected and trained in a model of south to south support. They will come back to their countries where UICC members and partners are already supporting childhood control actions. This investments shall help to reduce the gap of professionals in key areas of management of childhood cancer and empowering them to be trained in similar environments to those where they have to practice, surrounded by a enabling environment.

• Attract innovative, skilled leaders who see childhood cancer control as a component of success in their chosen careers.
  UICC has developed a Cancer Leaders Programme to empower a new generation of change-makers who will play an influential role and lead the global health community in an accelerated fight against cancer. This newly launched programme has several innovative modalities that can support a sustained increase in availability of childhood cancer advocates, leaders, supports and top experts.