Novartis, ASCP and ACS join forces to fight cancer in Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania - Seite 2

"A medicine is only as good as the system that delivers it," said Dr. Harald Nusser, Head of Novartis Social Business. "Through our catalytic funding, we target projects that have an impact on healthcare providers and support patients through their journey. We hope this collaboration will provide earlier and more effective diagnosis to cancer patients, improving the likelihood for better health outcomes."

Cancer care in Africa is still fragmented. Through this initiative, partners are being connected to national health priorities, strengthening the whole continuum of care for cancer patients, from training for better diagnosis and care and improved access to treatment, through to advocacy for national cancer treatment guidelines.

ASCP IHC Capacity Building Program
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer requires high-quality, rapid, and accurate screening and testing.  This includes interpretation of histology for diseases, such as breast carcinoma, which requires IHC to determine specific, targeted treatments for each patient. A pathology laboratory equipped to produce hematoxylin and eosin stain-one of the principal stains in histology-is not enough, even with a competent pathologist present and adequate reagents and consumables. Immunohistochemistry is required for oncologists to treat many cancers.
ASCP will focus on improving access to diagnostic equipment; provide laboratory-wide training to increase access to therapies for IHC-related diagnosable cancer; and ensure supply chain management for IHC reagents and supplies. This work is aligned with the health strategies of Ethiopia and Tanzania, which detail the need for IHC as part of diagnostic services, specifically to advance the fight against breast cancer.

ACS ChemoSafe Program
As use of chemotherapy increases, so does the risk of occupational exposure. Several African health ministries have requested assistance from ACS with improving the safety of chemotherapy management as many African hospitals face challenges not seen in other regions. For instance, hot work environments make it challenging for staff to work for long periods in gowns, gloves, and masks. Large cancer centers that are spread over several buildings may require staff to carry supplies over long distances, often outdoors in hot temperatures which can compromise samples. The ability to safely dispose of waste is not always possible.