March 29, 2007: Opening adress by the Governor General at the Second CAOH Symposium on Oncology & Haematology

Distinguished guest speakers and guests, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour to be invited to open this Second Symposium of the Caribbean Association of Oncology and Haematology (CAOH), which is organized in close collaboration with the nashko, the Netherlands Antilles Foundation of Higher Clinical Education.  I extend a special welcome to our distinguished guests from abroad and from the other parts of the Kingdom, the Netherlands and Aruba. Curaçao has the privilege to be the host of this important congress, which is the second of the CAOH after the first congress which was organized last year in Trinidad and Tobago.

Almost two years ago, on April 15th 2005, the Caribbean Association of Oncology and Haematology was formed. The rising incidence of cancer in the Caribbean region led to an increased need for knowledgeable and cutting edge cancer care. While the disease affects more people world-wide every day, the options available for treatment in the Caribbean region are not keeping pace with the developments in cancer care throughout the world. Cancer is the second highest cause of death in the Caribbean and remains one of the leading causes of death in the world. There are significant differences which demand special attention and explanation. It is striking that the Caribbean has the fourth highest cervical cancer incidence in the world. Most of the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean countries have estimated incidence rates at least three times higher than the prevailing rates in North America. Based on American experience, it is expected that African Caribbean men will have a higher incidence and mortality from prostate cancer than other groups. The CAOH was formed to help close this gap.

Fortunately, the CAOH proves not to be a one day fly. The association has important goals and objectives. It intends to implement and achieve to support and improve cancer patient care in the Caribbean region, to establish a database for up-to-date information in cancer care and prevention and to increase and advance the education of physicians and other professionals. Furthermore, the CAOH intends to accommodate and encourage communication and to exchange ideas among cancer related medical subspecialties, to advocate to the governments the need for patients’ access to high quality cancer care and to assist oncologists and haematologists in dealing with the difficulties of today’s practice.

The program of the congress offers an overview of the most recent international developments in oncology and haematology and the regional experiences of the Caribbean healthcare providers. The coming days you will focus on the latest developments in cancer treatment, care and prevention. It also offers us an overview of the excellent and important job that you all are doing. We are proud to have you here in Curaçao.

I hope that you will have a successful congress, fruitful discussions and interesting presentations. More important: I wish that your work will give hope to recent and future generations. I hereby declare the 2nd Caribbean Symposium on Oncology and Haematology open.