ECO and ELLOK meet with Greece Health Ministry

In advance of World Cancer Day, and as part of a national country visit at the invitation of ELLOK – the Hellenic Cancer Federation, ECO met with Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Marios Themistocleous and Ministry of Health Secretary General of Health Services, Lilian Venetia Vildiridis.

The consistent efforts at improvement and recent achievements in Greece in cancer control, including the establishment of a successful gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme and expanded breast cancer screening coverage were celebrated but also future developments in cancer policy discussed.

ECO conveyed the main messages of the 'Time to Accelerate' European Cancer Manifesto, including:

• Seeing important goals of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, such as eliminating HPV associated cancers, creating a tobacco free generation, and achieving high screening participation in all countries, through to completion.
• Refreshing the Plan to account for new developments in science and practice, including in respect to our understanding of hereditary cancer risk and addressing the ever-growing oncology workforce crisis.
• Expanding the goal-orientated approach to cancer control. This could include seeking an average of 70% ten-year survival rates for all European patients with cancer by 2035 (the “70:35” vision) and, allied to this, a doubling of survival for poor prognosis tumours.

The results of a new ELLOK-ECO European Cancer Pulse Country Report for Greece were discussed, with developments in some of the Report areas expected in the coming months.

ECO and ELLOK thank Deputy Minister Themistocleous and Secretary General Vildiridi for the constructive conversations on these matters, their interest in initiatives focusing on the best interests of the patient and look forward to celebrating future successes in Greece’s fight against cancer.