PBA Reporter
In a revolutionary move to realize its corporate vision of saving and improving lives across the world, leading global bio pharmaceutical company, MSD South Africa, has announced a major CSR intervention, Understanding Cancer In Sub-Saharan Africa, to arm African journalists with the right tools and skills for cancer reportage, going forward.
According to the pharmaceutical company, the initiative marks a significant milestone in the company’s history, noting that the workshop is a responsive cancer awareness intervention targeted at providing timely aid to the full understanding of the cancer scourge.
Speaking at the e-workshop held on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, one of the key note speakers, Kawaldip Sehmi canvassed: “Let’s start from the end first. Africa has the worst record on palliative care. If we cannot prevent or treat effectively, then why prolong the suffering without pain relief. Opioid is a colonial policy legacy. Let us die in dignity!”
Sehmi , while encouraging journalists in what he titled WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU, called on African government, foreign and international organization to address the challenge posed by cancer in Africa with specific coordinated actions. He encouraged the mentioned stakeholders to “train more oncologists and health professionals in cancer care and provide the necessary infrastructure which is urgently needed to identify and treat patients.”
Sehmi also advocated that international philanthropy should step in and assist cancer patients in footing their bills.
Arguing that the media tend to sensatioalise cancer reportage, another speaker, Ina Skosana stated that the only time cancer is mentioned in the media is only when a high profile person is involved or during launch events.
Also speaking on the project, Raanan Berger enlightened the media step-by-step on “introduction to oncology.”
He also mentioned that in the staging, “breast cancer can be any size and can spread to distant sites in the body.”
On how the world can get a more specific, accurate and specific treatment of cancer, Berger believes that this era of AI and big data have the capacity to close the gap.
Thanking the media for attending, one of the keynote speakers, Zwelethu Bashman, affirmed: “We hope that you find the workshop beneficial, hoping that it will help clarify the misinformation circulating on social media.”
Understanding Cancer In Sub-Saharan Africa, was a hybrid media training workshop which featured renowned oncology industry experts like Dr. Thulo Molefi, Prof. Raanan Berger, Kawaldip Sehmi, Ina Skosana, Duduzile Nhlapo, among other oncology and health experts in the globe.
The online event succeeded in deepening the media’s understanding of the oncology landscape in the Sub-Saharan African region and the impact of cancer on healthcare systems and populations. The experts also delved into the latest available treatment options, the challenges pertaining to access to cancer care – from the screening and diagnosis phase of the continuum- and survivorship and palliative care.
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