Brazil will contribute its experience with tobacco control programs to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Cancer Control Advisory Committee.
Brazil is the only country from South America on the committee, which is formed by 12 countries. The committee met for the first time last week, in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to the director-general of the National Cancer Institute (Inca), José Gomes Temporão, the member countries of the committee will contribute their experiences to help the WHO prepare its strategy to combat cancer worldwide. Brazil’s participation should be concentrated mainly in the area of tobacco.
“Brazil has one of the world’s most organized plans of tobacco control. So much so that the Inca belongs to the WHO’s center of collaboration for smoking control,” Temporão explained.
Moreover, a practical guide will be also be drafted within 18 months to help the organization’s member countries, especially the least developed ones, in policies to prevent and combat cancer.
Agência Brasil