Sint Maarten is the venue for the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) Caribbean Civil Society Cervical Cancer Advocacy Workshop from March 21-22.
The workshop is for representatives of cancer societies and foundations in the Caribbean.
According to Head of Collective Prevention Services Dr. Virginia Asin-Oostburg (CPS), a government health agency falling under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labour, the country was selected based on HCC participation in the Sint Maarten Cancer Conference that was organized last October which impressed the President of HCC Professor Trevor Hassell.
HCC was formed in 2008. It arose out of a 2007 Declaration of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
The HCC is a regional network of Caribbean health NGOs and civil society organizations who are interested in addressing NCDs. HCC works closely with regional and international leaders in NCD prevention to leverage the power of civil society by strengthening and supporting membership in the implementation of programmes aimed and reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with NCDs.
Every year, over 500,000 women develop cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the developing world, and the largest cancer killer among women in the most developing countries.