On Tuesday, to mark National Cancer Survivors Day, President Klaus Iohannis called for unity and solidarity in the fight against cancer to “make a real difference in the lives of people affected by this devastating disease.”

“I congratulate you on the event dedicated to the celebration of the National Day of Cancer Patients. Bringing public attention to this issue is very important, especially since the fight against cancer today is at a crucial moment, which our joint efforts can turn into a turning point with positive results in the future. Last year I was personally involved in promoting a unified vision for cancer, survivorship and reintegration. Together with dedicated people, we set a national goal, and the solidarity action for a common cause gave citizens confidence. However, cancer is now the second leading cause of death in Romania after cardiovascular diseases. This significant percentage highlights the reality of a disease that we often diagnose too late and that we cannot effectively prevent,” Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday in an address to the participants of the “Cancer Survivor” event organized in the Senate, reports Agerpres.

The message from the head of state, presented by adviser to the president Diana Pawn, shows that those who beat cancer are rightly seen as models of strength and resistance: “Unfortunately, for many patients and their families, this fight. In addition, survival involves difficult navigation through cumbersome schemes and unsimplified bureaucratic procedures, which gives rise to disappointment and the feeling that the citizen is abandoned in relation to the institutions and authorities of the state. That is why the National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan aims to promote an integrated, simplified approach and an effective treatment regimen. It’s a bold, ambitious plan, and I firmly believe it sets achievable goals. I never said that implementation is an easy path without difficulties. But we agreed together that this is a step we are ready to take urgently. Cancer is a serious threat to our health and the future of future generations.”

The head of state emphasized that “the fight against this disease cannot be postponed, and the way to achieve this goal will depend on our energy, dedication and skill, because only together we can continue the fight to ease the experience and so traumatic for patients and their families” .

“So let’s put aside political arguments and join forces to make a real difference in the lives of people affected by this devastating disease. The stories of cancer survivors should be our motivation in this fight. Now is the time to work together to implement effective policies that support cancer prevention and treatment. Investments in medical research, access to screening and early diagnosis, promotion of awareness campaigns and education to adopt healthy lifestyles are crucial. At the same time, it is important to support families and individuals facing a cancer diagnosis by ensuring they have access to quality health care and providing them with emotional support and financial help to cope. (…) The time has come to destroy barriers, and not to create new barriers that delay the implementation of the National Plan to fight cancer,” the Head of State said.

In the words of President Klaus Iohannis, we must not forget that “time is often the worst enemy of those facing this terrible disease.”

“So let’s make every effort to make time work for cancer patients, not against them. I am confident that together we will be able to overcome any challenge and will be able to find effective solutions for the prevention, treatment and victory over oncological diseases,” concluded the head of state.

The Cancer Survivors Debate was organized by PNL Senator Nicoleta Pauliuk, a cancer survivor and initiator of some bills for cancer patients, under the auspices of the National Day of Cancer Survivors and under the high patronage of the President of Romania.

Rafila has launched a new anti-cancer plan instead of the one that was already announced 7 months ago

Last week, the Ministry of Health announced the launch of a new Cancer Plan, 7 months after the Cancer Plan, on which a group of experts has been working for several years, was approved by Parliament and announced by President Klaus Iohannis.

The plan, already approved by law in the parliament and announced by the head of state, was supposed to enter into force on July 1. In December of last year, after its publication, a working group was created at the level of the Ministry of Health, which was supposed to develop the rules for the application of the National Cancer Prevention Plan. The rules were to be ready in 6 months, and the Plan was to enter into force on July 1.

However, a month before that, the institution under the leadership of Alexandru Rafil launches a new plan to fight cancer. Also, the Ministry of Health, despite the insistence of journalists, avoided specifying in what form the new plan will be adopted – if a new law passed by the parliament is needed.

Read also:

• Rafila launches a new anti-cancer plan a month before the plan launched in Kotrochen and approved by the parliament / Explanation of the Ministry of Health

• Unprecedented: Cancer patients will take to the streets after Rafila launched a new anti-cancer plan instead of the one already announced 7 months ago: “We are not interested in Mr. Rafila’s nonsense!”