GMKA Presents Study Findings and Recommendations to Strengthen Ukraine’s Cancer Care System at World Cancer Congress 2026

Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA) participated in World Cancer Congress 2026 — a leading international forum on global cancer control, held September 24–26 in Hong Kong and organized by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in partnership with the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. The Congress brings together experts, researchers, civil society representatives, policymakers, and cancer control leaders from around the world to discuss how cancer systems can be strengthened through better policy, financing, management, and leadership.

The program addressed major issues shaping cancer control globally, including equity and access to care, stakeholder and patient involvement in policymaking, cancer care models and best practices across different health systems, screening strategies, artificial intelligence, and the economics of cancer control. Particular attention was given to the challenges facing low- and middle-income countries and to solutions that can be implemented in resource-constrained settings.

At the Congress, Inesa Huivaniuk, MD, MPA, surgical oncologist and Co-Executive Director of GMKA Ukraine, presented “The Cancer System Needs Assessment in Ukraine”, a national study examining the resilience of Ukraine’s cancer care system and the systemic gaps that remain during the war. Based on the findings, the team developed practical recommendations for strengthening the system, from improving cancer data collection and analysis to screening, workforce development, modern diagnostics, and treatment quality assurance.

“Strengthening cancer care in Ukraine is one of GMKA’s core focus areas, and this study reflects that priority. We wanted not only to document how the war has affected the system, but to identify the concrete steps that can help address the gaps that remain. Presenting this work at the World Cancer Congress was especially important because it gave us the opportunity to share Ukraine’s experience with the global community and build partnerships around these solutions,” said Dr. Huivaniuk.

GMKA is a full member of UICC, a global network of organizations working to reduce the burden of cancer worldwide. UICC’s support for Ukraine already includes 48 grants for projects in cancer prevention, HPV vaccination, diagnosis and treatment, and patient literacy.

For GMKA, the Congress was an opportunity to shift the conversation from the immediate pressures of wartime healthcare toward long-term system strengthening — identifying where international expertise, institutional partnerships, and targeted investment can have the greatest impact. The goal is for Ukraine’s cancer care system not only to withstand the pressures of war, but to become stronger and more resilient for the years ahead.