Sweden-PHL partnership to revolutionize cancer care in Bataan and beyond
by Candy P. Dalizon, https://www.facebook.com/, https://www.facebook.com/BusinessMirror/ · BusinessMirror- Candy P. Dalizon
- October 24, 2024
- 4 minute read
Sweden and the Philippines have formed a strategic partnership to enhance cancer care in the Philippines. This collaboration will focus on raising awareness, promoting prevention, enabling early detection, and improving access to innovative treatments.
The province of Bataan will be the launching pad for this new era of cancer care, setting a benchmark for the entire Philippines.
“Sweden and the province of Bataan are partnering up in cancer care, where our key ambition is really to support the government of Bataan to transform cancer care, to have it ideally a benchmark for nationwide adoption, so that we could copy whatever we do in Bataan and apply it to the different provinces,” said Lina Balsyte, Business Sweden Healthcare Lead for Southeast Asia.
She added that they want to start in a small geographic unit to ensure their efforts have a real impact.
Signing ceremony
THE Sweden-Philippines partnership in cancer care was formalized through a Letter of Intent (LOI) signing ceremony held last October 18, 2024, in Makati City, witnessed by the State Secretary to the Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Sweden, Håkan Jevrell and Dr. Jan Aura Llevado, Chief, Cancer Control and Mental Health Divisions, Department of Health.
“Under Sweden’s strategy for trade, investment and global competitiveness and its new and long-term promotion initiative in Asia, Sweden is strengthening its engagement in the Philippines with a capacity-building agenda across several industries,” said Jevrell.
“Cancer has emerged as one of the leading causes of mortality in the Philippines, with lung cancer leading in males and breast cancer in females. And as a global leader in cancer care, Sweden is confident that this partnership will contribute to enhancing cancer care in the Philippines and ultimately improving patients’ access to healthcare,” he added.
Bataan Governor Jose Enrique Garcia III said the cancer care partnership with Sweden complements Bataan’s role in implementing the national government’s universal health coverage rollout.
“We’re thrilled to be the pilot province for this collaboration and look forward to leveraging Sweden’s expertise in cancer management to enhance patient outcomes, alleviate pressure on the healthcare system, and deliver health and socio-economic benefits to Bataan,” added Garcia.
IT, AI solutions
GARCIA said the collaboration with Sweden will also incorporate IT and AI solutions, facilitated by Ericsson, to enable remote access to specialized cancer care, connecting patients to Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC), the apex facility for cancer treatment in the province.
“This innovative approach will ensure that every ‘Bataañeno’, regardless of their location, can receive the care they need,” said Garcia.
He pointed out that Sweden’s expertise in early detection, telemedicine, and AI will definitely help improve cancer outcomes in Bataan.
“Additionally, I believe we are exploring a grant for a Linear Accelerator which would bring advanced radiation therapy to our province, significantly enhancing our ability to treat cancer. This letter of intent marks the beginning of a transformative journey for Bataan,” added Garcia.
Advancing cancer care in Bataan
AS THE leading healthcare institution in the province, BGHMC is dedicated to advancing cancer care across all stages in Bataan. This includes early detection and diagnosis, health promotion, cancer prevention, cancer surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, as well as palliative care and pain management.
Dr. Glory V. Baltazar, BGHMC Medical Center Chief II, said they aim to start the partnership by creating a comprehensive cancer registry. They also look forward to working with Swedish cancer specialists known for their expertise and patient-centered care.
The Sweden-Philippine partnership follows the quadruple-helix model, fostering collaboration among government, academia, industry and civil society in both countries. The LOI was signed by the Provincial Government of Bataan, Bataan General Hospital, Business Sweden – The Swedish Trade & Invest Council, Cancer Coalition Philippines, AstraZeneca, Elekta, and Ericsson.
The three industry partners, AstraZeneca, Elekta, and Ericsson, intend to further drive their commitment to the healthcare sector in the Philippines.
“Our team at AstraZeneca is inspired by our ambition to provide cancer cure through our life-changing medicines, alongside partnerships that allow early detection, diagnosis, and equitable care for Filipino patients with cancer,” said Lotis Ramin, AstraZeneca Philippines Country President.
Global experience
As a world leader in telecommunications and technology, Ericsson brings global experience in utilizing mobile connectivity to accelerate digital transformation in industries, such as healthcare.
“In particular, 5G connectivity has the potential to revolutionize various aspects of healthcare and enhance patient outcomes, such as telesurgery and remote diagnostics. We have seen this in our partnerships with leading health institutions worldwide,” said Daniel Ode, Head of Ericsson Singapore, Philippines, and Brunei.
“We are looking forward to working with the partners in this initiative to bring Sweden’s leadership and expertise to enable remote healthcare to the Philippines,” he added.
Leader in precision radiation therapy, Elekta, aims to contribute to the improved cancer center workflow and enhanced user experience to simplify complex cancer care.
“Our purpose at Elekta is to provide hope for everyone dealing with cancer, we envision a world where everyone has access to the best cancer care,” said Samuel Lee, Elekta Managing Director SEA.
“Through this partnership, we aim to elevate the level of radiation therapy treatment techniques through collaborating with healthcare institutions on introducing advanced radiation therapy technologies and educational programs to upskill clinicians working in the field of radiotherapy,” shared Lee.
The goal of the Sweden-Philippines cancer care partnership is to foster collaboration in cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, research, and capacity building between Sweden, the Philippines, and international partners.
0 0 0 0 Share 0 Tweet 0 Pin it 0 Share 0
