Abstract
Abstract To address the challenges of the increasing cancer burden, low- and middle-income country health systems must function in an integrated manner across the care continuum from prevention to palliative care. Health systems must address disease-specific priorities and systemic challenges synergistically, as envisioned in a diagonal approach to health systems strengthening, which overcomes the barriers between vertical (disease-specific) and horizontal (systemic) approaches by making full use of potential synergies between different programs and allows the development of common delivery platforms that consider shared risk factors across diseases to optimize available resources. The challenges of meeting the double burden of cancer are epitomized by women's cancers in Latin America: the persistence of preventable cancers like cervical cancer that are especially prevalent among the poor; and the emerging challenge of cancers like breast cancer, that cannot be prevented, but whose impact could be dramatically reduced through early detection and treatment and that affect women of all socio-economic strata. Further, women face specific challenges associated with stigma and discrimination that exacerbate their risks of dying and suffering from cancer, especially those affecting reproductive health. As many Latin American countries continue making strides to ensure health care access for all through universal health coverage, they must aim to effectively meet the challenge of these chronic illnesses across the entire care continuum. We outline strategies to strengthen health systems through a diagonal approach using the example of how the Mexican health system has responded to the challenge of breast cancer to illustrate effective universal health coverage along the chronic disease continuum and across health systems functions. We also present innovative financing and delivery models, as well as educational interventions that build on overall efforts to strengthen primary care by linking to existing platforms related to reproductive and maternal and child health. Citation Format: Knaul FM. Health System Responses to Women's Cancers in the Americas: Closing Divides to Achieve Universal Health Coverage [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr IS-1.