National cancer control programmes: Planning
Cancer control planning is necessary in any resource setting in order to respond to the cancer needs in populations by preventing, detecting early, curing and caring.
Key messages
Key messages for people involved in cancer planning and implementation:
- An integrated, comprehensive cancer control strategy allows for a more balanced, efficient and equitable use of limited resources.
- In order to plan cancer control wisely it is necessary to understand the context, appreciate past experiences, and be ready to continuously learn.
- A cancer control plan that is goal oriented, realistic and carefully prepared through a participatory process is more likely to move into effective implementation.
- In lower resource settings, a plan that considers a primary health care approach and the gradual implementation of few, affordable, cost-effective interventions will have a better chance of moving into effective action.
Basic steps of the planning process
-
Pre-planning
Is a plan needed? Who can advocate for it? How to draw a strategic plan -
Planning step 1
Where are we now? -
Planning step 2
Where do we want to be? -
Planning step 3
How will we get there?
