KRG Launches Year-Long Cancer Prevention Campaign in Soran

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Health on Monday launched a year-long campaign aimed at strengthening cancer prevention and early detection, marking what officials described as a broader shift toward preventive healthcare through cooperation between the ministry, the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), and Soran University.

Announcing the initiative during a press conference at Soran University, Health Minister Dr. Saman Barzanji said the campaign is designed to expand public awareness, encourage routine screening, and promote earlier diagnosis, reflecting a long-term strategy to improve health outcomes across the Kurdistan Region.

Rather than focusing solely on treatment after diagnosis, the campaign seeks to position cancer prevention as a central public health priority. Officials said the partnership combines government healthcare services, academic expertise, and community outreach to strengthen education and encourage earlier intervention.

"This project will serve as a successful blueprint for all other regions," Barzanji said, expressing confidence that the model developed in Soran could be replicated elsewhere in the Kurdistan Region.

He said the initiative aims to approach cancer from "a fundamentally different perspective," emphasizing preventive medicine alongside timely diagnosis. By identifying cases earlier, he said, healthcare providers can improve treatment outcomes while helping people live longer and healthier lives.

The minister described the campaign as more than a short-term awareness effort, presenting it as a sustained investment in public health that will continue over the coming year through coordinated activities involving medical professionals, researchers, and community organizations.

Barzanji thanked the Barzani Charity Foundation and Soran University for supporting the initiative, saying their involvement demonstrates the value of collaboration between public institutions, academia, and civil society in addressing complex health challenges.

According to the Health Ministry, the campaign will place particular emphasis on educating the public about cancer risks, the importance of preventive healthcare, and the benefits of early screening, with the goal of encouraging greater community participation in safeguarding long-term health.

Barzanji also stressed that cancer is a global public health challenge rather than one confined to any single country or region, noting that even the world's most advanced healthcare systems continue to confront the disease.

That reality, he said, underscores the need for sustained public awareness and preventive strategies.

The initiative reflects a broader evolution in the Ministry of Health's approach to oncology, placing greater weight on prevention, education, and early intervention alongside medical treatment.

Officials said the campaign is intended to strengthen healthcare services while fostering a culture of early detection that could improve survival rates and reduce the long-term burden of cancer across the Kurdistan Region.

By bringing together government institutions, academic expertise, and charitable organizations under a single year-long program, the campaign seeks to establish a coordinated framework for cancer prevention that officials hope will have a lasting impact well beyond Soran.