WHA79 side event – Five years of the Global Breast Cancer Initiative: Championing progress, accelerating action

This side event, organised by UICC with the support of the World Health Organization, is primarily intended for permanent missions in Geneva and Ministries of Health, and aims to provide practical insights on how to prioritise breast cancer within national agendas. The side event will provide an overview of progress five years after the launch of the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative, highlight cost‑effective strategies to reduce breast cancer mortality in all settings, and explore opportunities to integrate breast cancer services into primary health care and universal health coverage.

Five years after the launch of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI), breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide and a leading cause of premature mortality. Despite increased global attention, the burden continues to grow, with incidence projected to exceed three million new cases annually by 2040, placing additional strain on health systems already facing resource limitations. Many countries still lack costed and actionable national breast cancer plans, and essential components of breast cancer control – including early detection pathways, imaging and pathology capacity, timely diagnosis, multidisciplinary treatment and robust data systems – remain insufficient or inaccessible, particularly in low and middle income settings.

To achieve the GBCI target of reducing global breast cancer mortality by 2.5% annually through 2040 – estimated to prevent 2.5 million deaths – countries must continue to scale up implementation of evidence‑based interventions. With incidence rising and implementation gaps persisting, there is renewed urgency to elevate breast cancer as a global health priority and to strengthen technical and financial support for national programmes.

Marking the five‑year milestone of the WHO initiative, this side event will highlight country leadership and explore how governments can prioritise feasible, high‑impact interventions and strengthen coordinated implementation support. Building on the Cairo Call to Action adopted in October 2025, the session aims to engage countries in advancing equitable breast cancer control worldwide.