Insight

Kate Ndocko: I had the opportunity of participating in Barcelona in the Youth Ambassador Summer School. Some key takeaways from this high-level event.

Photo from Kate Ndocko/LinkedIn

Sep 12, 2023, 19:58

Kate Ndocko: I had the opportunity of participating in Barcelona in the Youth Ambassador Summer School. Some key takeaways from this high-level event.

Quoting Kate Ndocko, Public Health Medical Resident in Lyon, on LinkedIn:

”Last week, I had the opportunity of participating in Barcelona in the Youth Ambassador Summer School organized by ECL Association of European Cancer Leagues and WHO Regional Office for Europe.

A unique platform to connect with like-minded youth, learn from experienced speakers, and collectively get a glimpse at the pivotal influence of commercial determinants of health on cancer control policies and prevention strategies.

Some key takeaways from this high-level event:

1. Championing Transparency and Knowledge Dissemination reinforce informed decision-making and promote ethical marketing practices.

2. Stakeholder Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Approach: Health in all policies is a must and ministries of health, agriculture, finances, and heads of states shall join forces to address critical public health challenges.

3. Prevention:
Alcohol Labelling Policies: Ireland has set a groundbreaking example within the EU. By 2026, all alcohol products will be required to feature comprehensive labels detailed alcohol related health risks, including cancer warnings.

Tobacco Control: Taxing all tobacco products equitably including rolled-up tobacco and banning single use e-cigarettes to protecting our youth health.

4. Training: implementation of public health law training within the healthcare workforce curriculum.

5. Screening Done Right: Proper screening is highly beneficial, but inadequate screening can lead to harm, including unnecessary treatments and their associated side effects. Let’s evaluate screening programs not just based on uptake rates but also by considering indicators that reflect informed decision-making by the population.

6. Treatment
Place quality of life and patient-relevant outcomes at the center stage when protocolizing oncological clinical trials.
Joint European Health Technology Assessment: encourage cross countries collaborative assessment of new medicines and devices .

7. Health Equity : insightful presentation from Mohamed El Amine Youcef Ali, MD at CIRC – Centre international de Recherche sur le Cancer / Organisation mondiale de la santé about addressing socioeconomic inequalities in cancer.
To discover more about cancer inequalities in Europe visit the European Cancer Inequalities Registry (ECIR) data tool an European Commission initiative.

A heartfelt thank you to the organizers, Beatriz Arranz Álvarez and Rui Medeiros and all fellow participants for their unwavering dedication to the fight against cancer and for once again offering living proofs of the incredible power and determination of the youth in shaping the healthier and more equitable future we all deserve.”

Kate Ndocko: I had the opportunity of participating in Barcelona in the Youth Ambassador Summer School. Some key takeaways from this high-level event.