Participants at the 5th OncoEgypt Conference bringing together health professionals and partners to advance collaboration in cancer prevention diagnosis and care
Cairo, Egypt, 29 January – The 5th OncoEgypt Conference, which took place on 11–12 December 2025, stands out as more than a scientific gathering. It became a milestone in a growing regional movement around a simple, yet transformative idea: that healing encompasses the body, the mind, and the social and spiritual dimensions of a person.
The sessions of the conference moved beyond theory to chart a concrete path forward for integrating palliative care into oncology services in Egypt.
From policy to practice
The palliative care session opened with a plenary linking global and regional policies to local realities. Dr Lamia Mahmoud, from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, presented the recently endorsed framework for action on palliative care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, while Dr Anna Peeler of King’s College London outlined key pathways for strengthening palliative care expertise within cancer institutions.
Clinicians from across the Region, including Dr Qutaibah Alotaibi (Kuwait), Dr Atika Almusalami (Oman), Dr Nahla Gafer (Sudan) and Dr Mohamed Hablas (Egypt), then shared moving examples of dignity restored, pain alleviated, outcomes improved and families supported, illustrating how palliative care fundamentally transforms the cancer journey.
Building the palliative care ecosystem
Reflecting the demand for change, over 150 dedicated health care professionals immersed themselves in an intensive 2-day interactive workshop. This provided them with the tools of modern palliative care, including its core principles, research methods, pain and symptom management, basic communication skills and psychosocial support.
Professionals from the WHO regional palliative care network, and other experts including Dr Rania Hussein from Hospice Egypt and Dr Taghreed Mohamed from the Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357, emphasized that true healing requires caring for the psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of a person – caring for the person alongside curing the disease.
Securing the future
Recognizing that system-wide change requires commitment at the highest levels, the conference culminated in a policy dialogue between the WHO team and Dr Hatem Amin, Executive Director of the Egyptian Presidential Initiative on Women’s Health, in the presence of the directors of 8 major oncology centres from across the country. The high-level discussion focused on creating policies to support the integration of palliative care as a fundamental component of treatment right from the start, rather than as a last resort.
The OncoEgypt Conference 2025 achieved far more than the exchange of knowledge. It built a coalition for a future where palliative care is embedded within cancer services across the Region, ensuring that every patient receives care that upholds their dignity.
WHO remains committed to supporting Egypt and all countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to advance palliative care, build workforce capacity and develop policies that make compassionate care a reality for all.
