World Cancer Congress 2020 comes to Oman

Muscat: Oman Cancer Association and its partner National Oncology Centre will host more than 4,000 cancer control experts from over 140 countries in October 2020 at the World Cancer Congress and the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit (WCLS).
The two entities, along with their associates, the Oman Convention Bureau and the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, won the bid for the 2020 UICC (Union for International Cancer Control) Congress and the 2020 WCLS in Muscat, over Sao Paulo, Brazil, in May 2016.
“This congress was awarded to Oman for various reasons, including recognition of the work of the Oman Cancer Association (OCA) nationally, regionally and globally, especially its active work in the International Cancer Prevention Consortium, and the international recognition of the National Oncology Centre at the Royal Hospital,” said Dr Wahid Al Kharusi, chairperson of OCA.
According to Dr Zahid Al Madhari, senior consultant at the Oncology Department of the Royal Hospital, “One of the reasons is the distinctive set of challenges faced in this region compared with the Western world. “This is the first time the summit is coming to the Middle East, and specifically to Oman, mainly because of its reputation for stability and security.”
Furthermore, while addressing all the entities in Oman, Dr Kharusi emphasised the importance of this congress, as it is considered a major high-level policy meeting dedicated exclusively to furthering global cancer control. The event intends to bring together key decision makers from around the world and encourage timely debate on emerging issues related to cancer.
“It will also provide an important forum to secure a coordinated, multi-level global response to address the spiralling cancer epidemic,” he noted. Objectives of the summit will include, “Raising awareness among leading decision makers to ensure cancer is a global health priority; providing a forum to exchange information and innovative ideas on how to reverse the cancer epidemic and ensure a sustainable response; defining compelling messages to support the global call to action against cancer; and creating a force that galvanises politicians and policy makers and increases cancer’s visibility on the international public health agenda,” stated the official website of the WCLS.