AKEL on World Cancer Day 2026

 

4 February 2026, AKEL Health Policy Bureau

World Cancer Day serves as a stark reminder that the fight against one of the greatest challenges to public health is not an individual endeavour, but a collective responsibility and social obligation. Thousands of our fellow citizens are waging an unequal battle every day—with dignity, with strength, but often without the full support they deserve.

This year’s Day once again highlights the inequalities that still exist in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Delays in critical tests, lack of adequate infrastructures, the need to strengthen oncology services and support for patients and their families cannot wait.

AKEL expresses its profound solidarity with all people living with cancer, their families, and their caregivers. It honors the health professionals who are on the front lines, as well as the patient organizations that fight tirelessly for rights, quality of life, and access to modern treatments.

AKEL clearly reiterates that the fight against cancer demands:

– Strengthening the public health system with adequate staffing, modern equipment, and comprehensive oncology services.

– Universal access to preventive screening, with organized population screening programs and early diagnosis.

– Support for research and innovation, so that patients in Cyprus have access to the most modern treatments.

– Holistic care, including psychological, social, and financial support.

– Zero tolerance for social inequalities that determine who has access to care and who does not.

Cancer is not a statistic. It is human lives. It is families, stories, struggles. Our society must rise to the occasion and ensure that no one is left alone.

AKEL is committed to continuing the struggle for a society where health is a right for all and not a privilege for the select few. For a society that invests in prevention, care, and dignity for every human being.

AKEL Health Policy Bureau

04.02.2026