Geneva: Health Minister Dr. Rakan Nassereddine on Thursday called for prioritizing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially cancer, during a conference held by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Dr. Nassereddine highlighted that NCDs are responsible for over 74% of global deaths, emphasizing the urgent need for partnerships and resource mobilization to tackle this issue.
The Health Minister warned that cancer poses a growing threat to Lebanon's health system, which is further exacerbated by ongoing crises, displacement, and regional instability. Among the leading causes of death in Lebanon are lung, breast, and colon cancers.
Nassereddine also discussed the national strategy focusing on prevention, including efforts in tobacco control that align with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). He participated in a roundtable on strengthening WHO's role in the Eastern Mediterranean and engaged in bilateral talks with health officials from the U.S., Iran, Russia, Sweden, and WHO. These discussions aimed to enhance Lebanon's health infrastructure, particularly in mental health and cancer care.