Within the framework of World Cancer Day (February 04), Movicáncer Nicaragua delivered the “Hope for Life” 2015 Edition awards. This event took place in the Main Hall of the Hilton-Princess Hotel in Managua and was attended by personalities from the business, political and academic world of Nicaragua with a view to making visible the importance of maintaining the commitment to join efforts among all Nicaraguans against Cancer.
These awards are given annually to those people and institutions that selflessly and extraordinarily have contributed to making our Nicaragua a country with less Cancer. The recognized categories were: 1) Volunteering, 2) Social Commitment and Research; and 3) Scientific and Technological Development.
In the “volunteer” category, the winners were: José María Rodríguez and María Teresa Suárez, who in the last five years have been collaborating with the Movicáncer Foundation in the development of software called: Sivipcan (Surveillance System for Cancer Prevention) implemented by the Ministry of Health in its versions 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1 at the national level.
Another recognized category was that of “Social Commitment and Research” awarded to the NGO-Switzerland Medical Aid for Central America (AMCA), due to the fact that since the 1980s its director, Dr. Franco Cavalli (Oncologist and Past President of the International Union Against Cancer-UICC) during a Solidarity visit to Nicaragua understood that the country could not face Cancer without the minimum, functional and generally accessible structures for the population. Among the first activities carried out by AMCA was the establishment and subsequent construction of the Hemato-Oncology Department of the Manuel de Jesús Rivera “La Mascota” Children’s Hospital. The construction and initial equipping of what would become the “Nora Astorga” National Radiotherapy Center. Strengthening of Cervical Cancer Control in the late 1980s with the equipment and training in Cervical Pathology and Cytology for Nicaraguan technicians. Since the 1980s, it has implemented and strengthened a sponsorship program for children with cancer who are treated at the Children’s Hospital and that over the years has saved the lives of hundreds of children who are now adolescents and parents. of family. This collaboration model has been adopted and replicated by the UICC and has been implemented in 23 other countries worldwide through the program: “Because my child matters”; and more recently, AMCA has increased its support for scientific research that enables evidence-based decision-making for cancer control.
In this category, the tireless work of Dr. Ofelia Rojas Berríos was also recognized, Fruit of the Third Generation of Pathologists from Nicaragua and postgraduate in Oncological Pathology from the Anderson Institute of the University of Texas in the USA, and who has been faithful to the apostolate received from Dr. Uriel Guevara, being founder of the Histopathological Registry in Nicaragua at the UNAN-LEÓN National Autonomous University; Master of Generations of Medical Pathologists for Nicaragua, an outstanding Cancer researcher at the national level who has earned her various international awards such as the Kavalevski Award granted by the Russian Federation to those outstanding researchers who contribute to scientific development; It has promoted university projection by dedicating itself to offering and bringing women closer to the Papanicolaou test as a way of detecting pre-cancerous lesions early, which has made it possible to cure and save the lives of thousands of Nicaraguan women in the past 40 years at the service of their similar.
And in the last category “Scientific and Technological Development” the Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment of the Central American University (FCTyA-UCA) was honored, which since 2009 has been collaborating in the development of the Surveillance and Monitoring System for the Prevention of Cancer in Women (Sivipcan) version 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1; and the diagnosis for the online implementation of Sivipcan for the city of Managua. In this last five years, the UCA has demonstrated an academic commitment to contribute to the development of the health system for the prevention of Cancer among Nicaraguans.
Dr. Carlos Cruz, General Director of Health Services of the MINSA
This registration and follow-up system has been awarded at an international level with the award for “Latin Excellence 2008” by the American Cancer Society. Ranked among the top three innovations in America in 2011 by Innovators of America. In 2011, with the Recognition of the “Development of Public Health in Nicaragua” by the Nicaraguan Association of Public Health (ANSAP). In 2013, innovation was awarded a mention by the Regional Innovation Fund of America.
Latin America and the Caribbean (FRIDA); and recently, in 2014, he has been recognized by CONICYT for his contribution to the National Plan for Human Development 2013-2016, of the Government of Nicaragua.
It should be noted that Dr. Carlos Cruz (General Director of Health Services), on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Sonia Castro González, received special recognition for his commitment to increasing health coverage for women in the prevention of cancers of the reproductive system, consolidate a follow-up regulation for positive women, include the issue of Cancer on the agenda of the management teams of the health regions of the country, and present the initiative to the presidency of the republic of the need of the National Cytology Center, now built in the facilities of the National Health Complex. His tireless work in recent years has resulted in a real increase in coverage and budget to strengthen prevention programs, early diagnosis and early treatment of Cervical Cancer throughout the Nicaraguan Republic.
The delivery of these awards was possible thanks to the generous contributions of ASOFARMA in Nicaragua, the CLARO Communications company and the Nicaraguan Mastology Association (AMASNIC).
From now on we congratulate the honorees and thank them for contributing to a Nicaragua with less Cancer!
