The Malta Independent 13 February 2025, Thursday
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Stronger investment in prevention is needed to beat cancer, PN says

Tuesday, 4 February 2025, 11:31 Last update: about 8 days ago

The Nationalist Party on Tuesday expressed its gratitude to the dedicated professionals whose efforts provide care, healing, and hope to hundreds of Maltese families affected by cancer.

On World Cancer Day, the PN said it also shared in the grief of the families who have lost loved ones to this illness, which has now become the second leading cause of death in our country, following cardiovascular disease.

Cancer is a disease that requires strong investment in prevention and screening. Malta must do much more in this regard, especially as statistics published this week show that Malta ranks last in cancer prevention efforts, the PN said.

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This is an alarming indicator, as OECD estimates suggest that cancer rates in Malta are expected to rise by 44% over the next ten years, compared to a projected 18% increase across Europe. This means that due to a lack of emphasis on prevention, people in Malta have twice the risk of developing cancer compared to those in the rest of Europe.

We can work towards a better future for our families by investing more in prevention. The current efforts to promote screenings must be doubled, alongside raising greater awareness. At the same time, a national strategy with concrete measures against obesity is essential, especially as statistics show that Malta has the highest obesity rate among all European countries.

The PN reiterated its calls for a national strategy against obesity and reaffirms its proposals for the fight against cancer in Malta.

These include, among other initiatives, negotiations with foreign hospitals beyond the United Kingdom to provide treatment for rarer cancers where medical care in Malta is still underdeveloped.

The PN also stressed that, as in various other sectors, good governance benefits the entire population. Therefore, a new Nationalist government would guarantee that public funds are used wisely to strengthen investment in the health of the Maltese people.

 

 


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