D-Notícias

Held on Brasilia October 8 – 12, this Congress gathered together more than 4,000 paediatricians.  On October 10, at a panel session held especially to discuss major issues related to paediatric onco-hematology, haematologist Dr. Marcelo Land -  who is a member of the Onco-Hematology Department of the Brazilian Paediatric Society, and a director of the Paediatrics Institute at the Rio de Janeiro Federal University (UFRJ) -  presented the United Through The Cure public policy fostering early diagnoses of childhood cancers, which has been in operation in Rio de Janeiro since 2007.

The key aspect of the presentation addressed the following issue: why is paediatric oncology listed on the high-priority agenda of the public health care administration and for primary care?  The alteration in the epidemiological profiles of childhood diseases, the rising importance of cancers as causes of death among children, and the key role played by early diagnoses in better treatment outcomes were the issues discussed.

The comparative advantages offered by the United Through the Cure policy were stressed, implemented jointly by all three tiers of government involved with the National Health System (SUS) management, together with public paediatric oncology units and civil society organisations.  Another point underscored was the crucial importance of primary care as a high-priority field for suspected cases of childhood cancers, with guaranteed clear referral flows that have been firmly agreed.

Finally, the United Through Care policy reaches out to the Family Health Programme (PSF), which will be implemented from 2010 onwards in the Rio de Janeiro Municipality, and will extend the scope of this policy through the high priority assigned to primary care by the Ministry of Health through the Family Health Programme (PSF).