World Child Cancer, in collaboration with Amgen, aims to provide childhood cancer medicines to low-resource countries, including Ghana.
This initiative is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Speaking at a half-year stakeholders’ engagement meeting at the Ministry of Health in Accra, Mr. Sean Lybrand reiterated Amgen’s commitment to childhood cancer care.
He emphasised the importance of ensuring children with cancer have access to necessary care and treatment, and pledged long-term support for childhood cancer initiatives. He also expressed gratitude to partners who have made significant financial commitments to this cause.
During presentations by representatives from various hospitals partnering with major and shared care treatment centers in Ghana, they outlined the challenges faced in providing care to children with cancer. These challenges included issues with infrastructure, staffing, data management, and financial and logistical hurdles.
A particular emphasis was placed on the difficulties of managing leukemia patients due to the high cost and resource-intensive nature of their treatment.
The financial burden on patients, including significant out-of-pocket costs and their impact on treatment adherence, was also highlighted.
While Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi record leukemia as their most common cancer case, Tamale Teaching Hospital observes retinoblastoma as the most prevalent, followed by Wilms’ tumors and lymphomas.
Dr. Catherine Yiyugsah, a pediatric oncologist fellow in training at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, stressed the need for in-house diagnostic capabilities to reduce referrals and improve patient care.
Hospital representatives also highlighted the various forms of support received from World Child Cancer, including funding for diagnostics, transportation, nutritional support, and psychological support.
Mr. Frederick Amponsah, a parent, shared his personal story about his son’s cancer diagnosis and treatment journey, expressing appreciation to World Child Cancer for their support and impact on families.
He spoke about the initial struggles, the illness, and the financial challenges they faced in accessing treatment. He further elaborated on the emotional and financial difficulties encountered by families dealing with childhood cancer, particularly in resource-constrained settings
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
