Laila Hessissen, Head of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Center of Rabat, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Delivering my plenary talk on Health System Readiness for Pediatric Oncology was an opportunity to challenge some of our assumptions.
Too often, we start with infrastructure. But health systems are not built with buildings – they are built with people and leadership.
In many African settings, pediatric oncology cannot – and should not – be developed as a standalone, vertical program. It must be anchored within maternal and child health systems, and fully integrated into existing care pathways.
The real question is not: Do we have enough resources?
It is: Are we designing systems that fit reality?
- Choose systems that are fit for purpose and adaptable
- Invest in workforce and leadership first
- Build models that are resilient to global challenges – climate, environmental, and geopolitical
- And ensure pediatric oncology becomes a driver of health system strengthening, not an exception
Because in the end: We should not aim to replicate models – we should build systems that work.”
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