AORTIC's key objectives are to place cancer on African health care agendas; facilitate research on cancers prevalent in Africa; support the management of training programmes in oncology for health care workers; address the challenges of creating National Cancer Control Programmes; and raise public awareness of cancer in Africa.
The Executive members of AORTIC are high-profile scientists and clinicians from across the globe volunteering as knowledge workers for the plight of the cancer patient in Africa. Their main value is their ability to gather and analyse information and make decisions that will benefit the cancer patient. AORTIC works collaboratively with other cancer organisations, both in Africa and abroad, via conferences and the internet: sharing knowledge, learning from each other and disseminating relevant ideas and research to the cancer community.
AORTIC is actively connected to the global community, with a vast electronic database as well as via paper and electronic newsletters sent out quarterly in English and French. AORTIC has been represented at a number of cancer conferences around Africa and the world, and looks forward to the Sixth International Cancer conference in Cape Town, South Africa, from 24th to 28th October 2007.
Contrary to popular belief, cancer is emerging as a major health problem in Africa, and research shows that currently at least 5% of Africans suffer from cancer. However, the incidence of this chronic disease is rapidly rising and in the next two decades it is estimated that cancer will claim more lives in Africa then HIV, tuberculosis and malaria combined. A lack of knowledge and resources will exacerbate the situation and will hinder the continent’s ability to adequately respond to the rising incidences of cancer. AORTIC seeks to fill this vacuum and will strive to ensure that cancer is permanently on the health care agendas of all African nations.
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