Breast and prostate cancer are leading killers in Africa and India, so it’s vitally important to improve both the quality and availability of treatment. Tech Care for All India, Kenya and Nigeria country offices are offering an ambitious yearlong program of online workshops that discuss prevention, diagnosis, treatment and accompanying patient care. Taught by national and international experts, the 55 sessions are specifically designed for doctors and other health workers who look after people with cancer of the breast or prostate in African and Indian hospitals and clinics. A key aim of the program is to bring quality care closer to local communities by strengthening primary-level and non-specialist healthcare providers. Through earlier detection and better care, the program contributes to saved lives and better outcomes.
Tech Care for All country offices in India, Kenya and Nigeria have launched a comprehensive cancer education program for doctors and other healthcare professionals practicing in India and countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
Breast and prostate cancer are leading killers in Africa and India, so it’s vitally important to improve both the quality and availability of treatment. Five-year survival rates are unacceptably low because cancers typically are detected late and people have poor access to good-quality treatment, which may be expensive and located far from a patient’s home. Only 66% of Indian women with breast cancer reach the 5-year mark; in the Africa region, the rate is 59%.
Tech Care for All is offering an ambitious yearlong program of online and some in-person workshops that discuss prevention, diagnosis, treatment and accompanying patient care. Taught by national and international experts, the 55 sessions are specifically designed for doctors and other health workers who look after people with cancer of the breast or prostate in African and Indian hospitals and clinics. A key program objective is to bring quality care closer to local communities by strengthening primary-level and non-specialist healthcare providers.
Providers in these settings face daunting obstacles when it comes to updating their knowledge and building new skills. This is especially true of non-specialist (i.e., general practice) doctors, who are the main source of care for a vast majority of cancer patients. It may be too expensive for them to attend face-to-face courses, or impossible to be absent from their worksites. The program overcomes these barriers by offering courses through Tech Care for All’s Medical Learning Hub, a unique online learning and engagement service that healthcare providers access on their phones, tablets and computers. All events are offered free of charge, thanks to generous support from Bristol Myers Squibb.
Along with formal training, the program will offer a way for health workers to join online communities with colleagues near and far who have kindred professional interests and face similar challenges. Using the Medical Learning Hub, they can have ongoing conversations with their peers and specialized experts. Virtual groups like these have been demonstrated to increase motivation and morale—key assets for today’s health professionals, who cope with huge stresses.
“As a social impact company, we are extremely excited to be able to contribute to improving detection and management of prostrate and breast cancer amongst both specialists and frontline healthcare workers. We are confident that this initiative will improve access to timely diagnosis, referral and improved care.” said Dr. Benson Chuma, Tech Care for All’s East Africa CEO in Nairobi, Kenya. “As a doctor I know these things save lives. We are grateful to Bristol Myers Squibb for empowering TC4A to offer such a program.”
Healthcare professionals interested in enrolling in the program can view courses and sign up via the following links:
- The India-hosted breast cancer program is HERE. The prostate cancer program is HERE.
- The dual breast / prostate cancer programs hosted in Africa can be found at the following URLs:
Discover more about Tech Care for All:
Tech Care for All is a digital health company focused on sustainably transforming health outcomes in Africa and Asia by democratizing medical education. Our flagship product, Medical Learning Hub, provides high quality, accessible, affordable CME to all healthcare professionals in Africa and India. We are building an online community of knowledgeable and engaged HCPs.
