1st European pre-Inception Dialogue on the setting up of Malta’s National Cancer Mission Hub (NCHM)

The Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies (ECHoS) project, in collaboration with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, as well as Xjenza Malta, the Malta Ministry for Health and Active Ageing and the newly set-up Cancer Research and Innovation Foundation in Malta, have organised the 1st European pre-Inception Dialogue on the setting up of Malta’s National Cancer Mission Hub (NCHM) on 10^th of July 2024.

This event was an occasion to bring together highest authorities in the Medical and Research fields to discuss and participate in the co-design on how Malta’s NCMH will be shaped.

Both the Hon Minister for Health and Active Ageing, Dr Jo Etienne Abela, as well as the Hon Parliamentary Secretary for Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti underlined their commitment to fighting cancer which is demonstrated in the setting up of the Cancer Research and Innovation Foundation. They also supported the objectives of the Cancer Mission and highlighted the importance of national coordination between Oncology practitioners and Research in the fight against cancer.

“I want to stress our commitment to the Cancer Research and Innovation Hub Malta as Malta’s Cancer Mission Hub to be a leader in research coordination and research facilities. Such a Hub is more than a facility, it symbolizes the core of our fight against cancer. (…) Acting as a catalyst, it will bring together stakeholders, facilitate communication and promote an innovative environment. Our dedication to the Hub is firm. We aim to establish it as a benchmark for excellence in cancer research.”

Hon Parliamentary Secretary for Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti

The event was also addressed by Dr. Eleni Tolma, a Cancer Mission Board member and Ambassador to Malta and Cyprus, and she highlighted the expectations from the Cancer Mission, its recommendations and outlook for the future in how the Cancer Mission Board sees the NCMHs shape the future in Mission on Cancer implementation.

Hugo Soares, from Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (AICIB) in Portugal, in his role as Coordinator of ECHoS project presented an outline of the project as well as the work currently being undertaken by the project to ensure each EU Member State and Associated Country is equipped with the appropriate tools enabling the setting up of the National Cancer Mission Hubs.

During the event, participants were split into discussion groups and shared their vision of what they deem to be looked at in Malta’s NCMH. Amongst the identified issues are (i) the importance to optimise resources rather than having duplication, (ii) fostering collaboration among stakeholders in the country and (iii) to ensure the functional autonomy of the Hub, without compromising connection both the Ministry for Health and to the Ministry for Research. The role of Patient Organisations as well as the role of Charities was also heavily discussed. This debate was facilitated by Suszy Lessof, José Martin-Moreno and Florian Tille, members of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, a partnership hosted by World Health Organisation.

A follow-up event is envisioned for October, or November, to continue this dialogue which is deemed key to the overall achievement of the objectives of the NCMH.