KINLEY KHANDU CHODEN | Thimphu
The Bhutan Cancer Society (BCS) has launched a new initiative to strengthen collaboration with the media, recognising journalists as key partners in improving public awareness on cancer, reducing stigma, and supporting evidence-based cancer policies in Bhutan.
The six-month project, titled “Strengthened Media-Driven Advocacy for Stronger Cancer Control Policy Commitment in Bhutan,” is supported by the European Union and aims to enhance engagement between civil society organisations, the media, and the government to promote more informed and sustained reporting on cancer.
Speaking at the launch, Executive Director of the BCS, Karma Tobgay, said although cancer has become one of Bhutan’s growing public health concerns, discussions surrounding the disease remain limited and are often confined to awareness campaigns or commemorative events.
According to him, a review of media coverage over the past few years revealed that reporting on cancer has largely been event-based, with little sustained attention given to issues such as prevention, early detection, survivorship, palliative care, and policy implementation.
“As the only organisation dedicated to the welfare and care of cancer patients in the country, we have conducted numerous advocacy programmes and awareness campaigns through mainstream media, social media and digital platforms. However, our assessment found that most media coverage is centred around events rather than providing continuous public education on cancer,” he said.
He said another major reason behind the initiative was the findings from Bhutan’s Population-Based Cancer Registry (PBCR), which has shown a significant increase in cancer cases.
The latest PBCR report, published in 2025 and covering the period from 2019 to 2022, indicates that the number of reported cancer cases has doubled compared to the previous reporting period. The Executive Director said the registry has become an essential source of evidence for policymakers, enabling the government and the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) to make informed decisions on cancer prevention, treatment and resource allocation.
He added that one of the recommendations emerging from the cancer registry is to consider making cancer a notifiable disease to improve reporting, surveillance and policy planning.
As part of the project, BCS will recruit a media expert to conduct a comprehensive assessment of cancer reporting across different media platforms. The findings will be used to strengthen collaboration between journalists, the NCCP and the Population-Based Cancer Registry to ensure cancer-related information is communicated accurately and consistently.
The project also seeks to establish a formal agreement between the BCS and the Ministry of Health, particularly the NCCP, to improve the interpretation and dissemination of cancer registry data with technical support. Organisers expect the initiative to generate stronger evidence for cancer policies while increasing public understanding of the disease.
Representing the NCCP, Sonam Wangchuk said Bhutan’s national response to cancer is guided by five strategic priority areas: policy advocacy and partnerships, primary prevention, screening and early detection, treatment and rehabilitation, and monitoring, evaluation and surveillance.
He said Bhutan formally established the NCCP in 2020 following the Royal Command to strengthen cancer services and has since been implementing the National Cancer Control Strategy 2019–2025. The ministry is currently preparing a new strategy for the period 2026–2030 to address emerging challenges and strengthen cancer services nationwide.
According to him, the programme not only focuses on patients diagnosed with cancer but also recognises the importance of supporting caregivers and families.
He said palliative care services have expanded rapidly and currently cover approximately 95 percent of the country. The programme expects to achieve nationwide district coverage within the next few months.
“Our responsibility is not only to treat cancer patients but also to support the people caring for them. Cancer affects entire families, and strengthening palliative care is an important part of our national response,” he said.
He also mentioned that Bhutan is preparing to launch its first dedicated childhood cancer initiative with financial support from development partners. The programme aims to improve childhood cancer survival rates in line with World Health Organization targets.
However, he acknowledged that Bhutan continues to face several challenges in cancer care, including the lack of radiation therapy services within the country and shortages of specialised healthcare professionals.
A consultant oncologist Dr. Kinley Buthri of national referral hospital said cancer control should not begin only after a diagnosis is made but should start much earlier through prevention, screening and risk assessment.
She explained that identifying people at higher risk, encouraging routine screening and promoting early detection can significantly improve treatment outcomes while reducing healthcare costs.
“For a small country like Bhutan, losing even a small number of people to preventable or late-detected cancers has a significant impact,” she said.
She expressed concern that many Bhutanese continue to seek medical attention only after the disease has progressed to advanced stages.
She said delayed health-seeking behaviour remains one of the biggest barriers to successful cancer treatment, despite improvements in screening and diagnostic services.
“We need to find better ways of reaching people before they present at advanced stages. This is where civil society organisations and the media have a critical role to play,” she said.
She stressed that journalists can play an important role in educating communities by disseminating accurate information about cancer symptoms, prevention measures and available health services.
“The media can actually reach every corner of the country, whereas healthcare professionals alone cannot reach everyone,” she said.
Beyond treatment, Dr. Kinley said cancer patients often require long-term supportive care to cope with treatment-related complications, physical changes, emotional distress and psychological challenges.
She noted that many patients need assistance not only with medical treatment but also with pain management, counselling, rehabilitation and social support. Families also require support, particularly when young children are affected by the illness or lose a parent to cancer.
She emphasised that palliative care should be viewed as an essential component of comprehensive cancer care rather than a service provided only at the end of life.
Throughout the discussions, they highlighted that addressing Bhutan’s growing cancer burden requires collective action from the government, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, communities and the media.
They said stronger partnerships would help improve public awareness, encourage early health-seeking behaviour, reduce stigma surrounding cancer and support evidence-based decision-making.
The BCS expressed hope that the project will foster more sustained and informed reporting on cancer issues, ultimately contributing to stronger public engagement and more effective national cancer control policies.
