VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A branch of the World Health Organization is using Malta’s cancer survivorship services as a model for other European countries. Malta is the first European Union member state to establish a national Cancer Survivorship Programme, offering holistic support to patients after they complete cancer treatment.
The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, which operates under the WHO and is funded by the EU, has published a case study on Malta as part of a series on innovative cancer care initiatives. The study focuses on Malta’s Cancer Survivorship Team, based at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre.
The team includes a specialist survivorship nurse and an occupational therapist who serves as cancer rehabilitation coordinator. Together, they developed three core services: Tailoring Recovery after Cancer classes, Holistic Needs Assessment clinics, and personalised one-to-one support.
Survivorship care is integrated with allied health services such as physiotherapy, psychology, dietetics, speech and language pathology, social work and dental hygiene. Additional services, including aromatherapy and sexual counselling, are provided by trained volunteers.
The Observatory said Malta’s approach shows how small health systems can deliver scalable and compassionate survivorship care through strong interdisciplinary collaboration. The programme is presented as a roadmap for other EU countries seeking to strengthen long-term cancer survivorship outcomes. Malta’s Cancer Survivorship Team was established in 2019 under the Directorate for Cancer Care Pathways, led by Dr Danika Marmarà.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
