Closing the Cancer Divide: An Equity Imperative

the prologue will be authored by Prof. Amartya Sen (Nobel for Economics Sciences, 1998, and Lamont University Professor, Harvard University). We didn't think this should be mentioned in the description, but rather a quote from him included on the back cover. But if recommended to have in the description, we can include it. I believe you had mentioned that the quotes on the back cover are at a later stage, but perhaps we can discuss further on thus regard; 2) please do let us know if you have any comments on the description).Cancer has become a leading cause of death and disability and a serious yet unforeseen challenge to health systems in low- and middle-income countries. A protracted and polarized cancer transition is underway and fuels a concentration of preventable risk, illness, suffering, impoverishment from ill health and death among poor populations - the Cancer Divide. Closing the cancer divide is an equity imperative. The world faces a huge, and largely unperceived, cost of failure to take action and what is required is an immediate and large-scale global response to cancer.This book presents strategies for innovation in delivery, pricing, procurement, finance, knowledge-building, and stewardship that can be scaled-up by applying a diagonal approach to health system strengthening. The chapters provide a roadmap of evidence-based recommendations for developing programs, local and global policy-making, and prioritizing research. The case studies and frameworks are a guide for developing appropriate responses to the chronicity that characterizes all new challenge diseases, including cancer, be they communicable or non-communicable in origin. This book summarizes the results of the first two years of work of the Global Task Force on Expanding Access to Cancer Care and Control in Developing Countries, a broad collaboration among leaders from the global health and cancer care communities from around the world, convened by Harvard University. It includes contributions from civil society, global and national policy-makers, patients and practitioners, as well as leading academics representing an array of fields and countries.