Call for cancer priority

The head of the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano wants cancer to be established as a global health issue in developing countries.



Amano made the call in observance of World Cancer Day, which is being observed today.



It is estimated that by 2030, more than 13 million people will die from cancer every year and almost nine million of them will be in the developing world.



Massoud Samiei, the director of the Programme of Action of Cancer Therapy at the UN agency, noted that there is already a movement within the UN to address non-communicable diseases, including cancer and heart disease.



The UN campaign has been championed by CARICOM nations.