Overview of the Partnership
Education and training in cancer is a core mandate of AORTIC and an essential component of an effective national cancer control program. As the first point of contact for most people experiencing symptoms suspicious of cancer, frontline healthcare workers – including primary care physicians, nurses, and midwives – have a key role in the early detection and referral for confirmatory diagnosis of cancer and prompt management. Despite this pivotal role, many frontline healthcare workers in Africa lack sufficient knowledge of preventative measures, screening services, cancer signs, and referral practices. This knowledge gap contributes to the late-stage disease presentation we see on the continent and a mortality to incidence ratio (0.64) that is nearly double that of high-income regions (0.36) with associated socioeconomic impacts.
A primary healthcare provider course was jointly piloted in Q3-4 2024 with ongoing post-course evaluation. This will be used to improve the course and hold a recurring live course with African faculty and the ability for self-learning, with engagement of African governments to encourage course uptake with their PHPs.
