Colombia visit: Presenting at three major health-system events

In September/October 2018 I presented at three major health-system conferences in Colombia. First, I presented a new study on lung cancer in Latin America at the War on Cancer event in Bogotá. I then gave a presentation on the future of innovation and healthcare systems around the world at a major conference organised by Foros Semana, Coosalud and Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá. And finally, I was invited to Cartagena to speak about self-care, education and impact on the sustainability of the system at the Colombian Pharmaceutical Forum.

1) War on Cancer LatAm, Bogotá, September 18th 2018

I presented the findings of the study I edited on Lung cancer in Latin America: Time to stop looking away in the context of the War on Cancer LatAm event in Bogotá. The study examined the burden of lung cancer in Latin America and how well countries in the region are addressing the challenge. It looked in detail at the disease burden as well as the economic and social burden of lung cancer in the region. We also introduced a major tool for stakeholders seeking to understand the policy response to lung cancer: the Latin America Lung Cancer Traffic Lights. The traffic-light system assesses national policy approaches, and to some extent outcomes, in Latin America. Some of the news coverage we got is summarised below.

• Agencia EFE (Spanish-language wire service): El cáncer de pulmón causa 60.000 muertes al año en América Latina, según un informe
• CDN (Dominican Republic): Cáncer de pulmón causa 60,000 muertes al año en América Latina, según informe
• Correo (Peru): Cáncer de pulmón cuesta 1,35 billones de dólares anuales a América Latina
• Economiahoy (Mexico): Cáncer de pulmón causa 60,000 muertes al año en Latinoamérica
• El Comercio (Peru): Cáncer: el alto riesgo de morir si naciste en el Perú
• El Pais (Colombia): Cáncer de pulmón, una enfermedad que no solo afecta a los fumadores
• El Telegrafo (Edcuador): El 85% del diagnóstico oncológico de pulmón se obtiene tarde
• El Tiempo (Colombia): ‘Cáncer de pulmón, el segundo más mortal, es mal atendido en Colombia’
• Infobae (Argentina): El cáncer de pulmón le cuesta más de 1,35 billones de dólares anuales a América Latina
• Notimerica (pan-American): El cáncer de pulmón mata a 60.000 personas al año en Iberoamérica
• Semana (Colombia): Cáncer de pulmón, una enfermedad con estigma
• Vertigo Politico (Mexico): Cáncer de pulmón, el más mortal y con menos atención


2) Exponential transformation, a challenge for the health sector, Bogotá, October 9th 2018

I gave a presentation on The future of innovation and healthcare systems around the world: A 25-year vision at a major conference, entitled Exponential transformation, a challenge for the health sector, held in Bogotá. It was organised by three organisations: Foros Semana, Coosalud and Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá. Participants included major healthcare companies, organisations and policymakers, including the minister of health (who quoted both our lung cancer study and the interview I gave for weekly magazine Semana). My presentation was also covered in an interview I gave for Portafolio. The video of my presentation is below.


3) Self-care: Education and impact on the sustainability of the system, Cartagena, October 18th 2018

Finally, I gave a presentation on Self-care: education and impact on the sustainability of the system at the Colombian Pharmaceutical Forum in Cartagena. Among other things, I gave an interview for Colombian daily El Tiempo ahead of the presentation.

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