Challenges and Prospects for Providing Radiation Oncology Services in Africa.
There are considerable challenges to meeting the demands of the impending cancer crisis in Africa. These include a rising incidence of cancer and cancer-related deaths, equipment and maintenance costs, and deficits in human resources and training. Addressing these issues would be crucial to tackling the increasing burden of cancer on the continent. Innovations in technology and collaborative efforts within the global oncology community have created promising solutions for establishing quality cancer care in Africa and eradicating the massive disparities that currently exist. A multifaceted approach that establishes access to quality radiation oncology services is needed to curtail this alarming trend. In this article, we describe the current status of radiotherapy services in Africa, barriers and opportunities to improve this integral component of comprehensive cancer care.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY. Electronic address: onyi.balogun@gmail.com.
Onyinye
O
Balogun
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Danielle
D
Rodin
Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Wilfred
W
Ngwa
Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Surbhi
S
Grover
Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
John
J
Longo
D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D018787:Radiation Oncology