Cancer Control

Global Outreach Cancer Control Programme
Overview

A global outreach cancer control programme (GOCCP) is a public health programme designed to reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths and improve quality of life of cancer patients. This is done by implementing systematic, equitable and evidence-based strategies for prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliation using available resources. No matter what resource constraints a country faces, when well-conceived and well-managed, a GOCCP helps reduce the cancer burden and improve services for cancer patients and their families.
Global outreach cancer control plans should be goal-oriented, realistic, carefully prepared and appropriately funded through a participatory process in order to be effectively implemented. Cancer control planning requires accurate data, including reliable cancer registries and monitoring and evaluation programmes to ensure programmes are appropriately prioritized and to assure quality.
Pre-planning
If national leaders decide to create a new or updated cancer control plan, then the cancer control planning process can start with broad participatory support. All key stakeholders should be involved early in the planning stages, and national leadership is needed throughout the process. Decision-makers can be reassured that a cancer control plan will not create a costly vertical programme, but should be integrated with noncommunicable diseases and other related programmes to make better use of available resources.
Implementation steps
The planning phase is followed by the policy implementation phase. Priority interventions can be implemented using a stepwise approach, focusing initially on what can be done with better organization of available resources in a target area where there is good potential for success. As results are successfully demonstrated, more resources can be justified and the programme can be expanded.