Miriam Mutebi: To effectively combat the growing challenge of cancer in Africa, a well-trained oncology workforce is crucial

Miriam Mutebi shared a post on LinkedIn:

“To effectively combat the growing challenge of cancer in Africa, a well-trained oncology workforce is crucial.

Education and training in oncology isn’t just about equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge they need today but preparing the continent for tomorrow’s challenges.

In many parts of Africa, the shortage of specialized oncology professionals leads to delays in diagnosis and inadequate treatment, resulting in higher mortality rates. Investing in education and training programs is crucial. Expanding the healthcare workforce and supporting continuous professional development, can improve early detection, elevate care quality, and save more lives.

AORTIC – Africa plays a key role in advancing cancer care via workshops, conferences, and fellowships that equip healthcare workers (HCWs) with the latest knowledge and skills. These programs emphasize a multidisciplinary approach ensuring surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, nurses, and support staff collaborate effectively in treatment.

Our education and training committee chaired by Dr. Nazima Dharsee and Dr. Michael Mwachiro reflects the depth & breadth of multidisciplinary expertise across Africa and beyond.

Through our professional differentiation efforts, we aim to redefine core competencies and key activities for the cancer workforce across the care continuum. AORTIC’s education and training committee is focused on building a nimble workforce equipped to meet the challenges of modern care.

This includes understanding the magnitude of benefit of therapies—how much they help patients, their costs and fostering a foundation in value-based care (quality and cost-effectiveness).

Our residency forums connect oncologists in training, introducing key principles early. Workforce mapping reveals critical gaps across all specialties, highlighting the urgent need to expand services. We must leverage innovations to enhance skills and training.

There needs to be more dedicated funding supporting education-based research. In the past, we’ve worked with local & regional societies like the Surgical Society of Kenya and Pan African Women’s Association of Surgeons (PAWAS) to upskill the existing surgical workforce to manage colorectal and breast cancers.

In November we have a collaborative faculty development workshop at the KESHO conference. Queen’s University, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada have also supported our initiatives, including faculty development. We continue to seek more partnerships in this area.

Our commitment to education extends beyond HCWs. We educate the public, empowering communities to recognize early cancer signs and seek timely treatment.

Indeed, education and training in oncology are the cornerstones of a robust cancer care system in Africa. AORTIC’s efforts are essential in building a future where cancer is detected early, treated effectively, and patient outcomes dramatically improved.”

Source: Miriam Mutebi/LinkedIn

More posts by Miriam Mutebi on oncodaily.com

Miriam Mutebi is a Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. She is the President of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), and past president for Kenya Society of Hematology and Oncology (KESHO) and on the Board of Directors of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).

She is the co-founder of the Pan African Women’s Association of Surgeons and is part of the Kenya Association of Women Surgeons. She is an avid supporter for the education and support for women, especially in surgery and she aims to provide mentorship for women in surgery and to improve women’s health and surgical care in Africa.