GLOBAL INITIATIVES IN CANCER CONTROL
The ICCP Portal aims to showcase specific examples of global initiatives in the field of cancer control planning and capacity-building. You will find below the first presentation of a Global Initiative on pathology capacity in Africa. Please revisit this page as we will be updating and expanding it regularly.
STRENGHTENING THE PATHOLOGY CAPACITY IN-COUNTRY: AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF CANCER CONTROL
Pathology is at the core of cancer services from early detection and diagnosis to cancer staging, to ensure that patients receive the right treatment and follow-up. Further, pathology reports provide crucial data for cancer registration and generation of cancer incidence, mortality, trends and projections which guide policy-makers and cancer planners for defining optimal national cancer control plans.
Despite the centrality of pathology in cancer control, many countries are facing serious shortages in terms of human resources as well as infrastructure and equipment. Development of pathology services therefore constitutes one of the biggest challenges to improving cancer control.
At the African Pathology Summit in March 2013 first steps were taken by the African Organisation for Research and Training In Cancer (AORTIC) to take on this challenge. The summary of the proceedings of the Summit has been published online by Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, available here.
We would like to know more about the status of pathology and similar initiatives in your country or region. Do not hesitate to contact us at iccp@uicc.org.
PATHOLOGY CAPACITY IN AFRICA: THE AFRICAN PATHOLOGY SUMMIT 2013
Pathologists from the region and other stakeholders in the cancer community met in Dakar in March 2013 under the theme: “Building international and local bridges in pathology” motivated by a survey conducted in 2012 which highlights the acute shortages in pathology services and infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa:
The goal of the African Pathology Summit was to deliberate on the challenges and constraints faced by African pathologists in routine practice and develop a comprehensive framework to address them effectively.
The deliberations focused on the following:
- How to update the knowledge base of practicing pathologists in a sustainable way.
- How to enhance the quality of training of current pathology trainees and technical staff.
- The need for training in appropriate new technologies when relevant to the level of practice.
- The need for continuous quality improvement and quality assurance, and
- The need for advocacy with private funding agencies (local and international) and government / ministries of health.
There was a consensus on a number of the strategies which need to be developed to form the framework for action:
- improving pathology diagnostic service with a definition of modalities for ensuring uniform standards across all regions;
- developing regional educational training programs both in basic clinical knowledge and research techniques / methodology with awareness of the need to effect knowledge transfer with application of newer technologies, and;
- developing clinical and translational research that will produce appropriate information critical for policy making decisions.
In addition, an agreement was reached that "pathologists in sub-Saharan Africa must pull together and leverage available local and international resources".
The full summary of recommendations issued during the Summit can be downloaded here.
The summary of the proceedings of the Summit has been published online by Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, available here.
You can also access the presentations made during the Summit from the AORTIC website here.