We are working to build a network of practice systems in Ghana through the concept of a shared care network to improve early diagnosis, treatment and psychosocial support for children with cancer and their families. We are working in collaboration with the Ghana Ministry of Health and its agencies, particularly, Ghana Health Service, CHAG and Teaching Hospitals. This work is made possible through the support of UBS Optimus Foundation, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, (FCDO), Bristol-Myers Squibb, Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Alliance Mondiale Contre le Cancer, amongst other partners.
1,300 children
2 hospitals
able to provide full childhood cancer treatment and care.
6 trained
paediatric oncologists in the country
Programme Information
Programme
Centres
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi
Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Accra
Twinning
Centre
Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, UK
Programme
Leads
Prof Lorna Renner
Dr Cathy Segbefia
Dr Vivian Paintsil
Dr Nihad Salifu
Programme
Mentors
Dr Emma Johnson
Contact
pinamang.boatdesu@worldchildcancer.org
Pinamang Boatdesu
Ghana Country Coordinator
Start Date
Background
Around 1,300 new cases of childhood cancer are expected in Ghana each year. Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, in Accra, and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, in Kumasi, are the major hospitals in the country that provide comprehensive cancer treatment and care. They are followed by Greater Accra Regional Hospital, in Accra, which offers treatment for some types of cancer. There are other shared care centres across the country, which offer some level of cancer management and also act as referral centres. The number of cases diagnosed in Ghana is increasing each year and access to healthcare services is limited for much of the population, so there remains a large number of children who are currently not diagnosed and may never receive any support.
Key Activities
- Strengthen Paediatric Oncology at main treatment hospitals and shared care centres
- Increase access to cancer diagnosis and treatment through increasing the capacity of healthcare staff at main treatment and care hospitals, and shared care centres around the country
- Advocate for government support of childhood cancer treatment costs
- Improve the awareness of childhood cancer in communities to encourage earlier diagnosis
- Develop support systems for families of children with cancer
Problems
There are only 6 fully trained paediatric oncologists and 29 trained Paediatric Oncology nurses to serve the entire population of over 32 million people
Abandonment rates are high as childhood cancer treatment is only minimally covered by the country’s health insurance scheme and costs are prohibitive for families
Knowledge of early warning signs and symptoms amongst frontline health workers is low so many children go undiagnosed
Communities are largely unaware of childhood cancer and seek traditional healing options or bring children with a late-stage disease when a cure is less likely
Children from the most vulnerable populations are underserved and less likely to reach the appropriate care
Poor nutritional status of children undergoing cancer treatment
