Mr Emmanuel Ayire Adongo, Head of World Child Cancer (WCC), has revealed that the organisation, in collaboration with its partners, has secured funds to train more healthcare professionals in paediatric oncology, addressing the critical shortage of skilled personnel to manage childhood cancers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Bolgatanga during a workshop on early warning signs of childhood cancers, Mr Adongo highlighted that inadequate, competently trained healthcare professionals remain a key challenge in the region’s health service delivery.
“To address this, we have collaborated with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to co-develop a curriculum for doctors specialising in childhood cancer management, known as Paediatric Oncologists, as well as a post-fellowship in paediatric palliative care,” he said. The scholarships for the programmes are open to both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians.
“So far, over 20 doctors from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, among others, have benefited. The paediatric palliative care post-fellowship is for fellows who wish to specialise in that field,” Mr Adongo noted.
The NGO has also partnered with the Ghana College of Pharmacists to train paediatric pharmacists, with three already trained and four currently under scholarship—the first such specialists in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, collaboration with the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives has yielded curricula for fellowship and one-year associate programmes, training over 30 nurses from Ghana and the region.
Mr Adongo indicated that this year the training opportunities were extended to Malawi and Cameroon, with participants coming to Ghana for instruction. He stressed that competent nurses are essential, noting that over-reliance solely on doctors could compromise healthcare delivery.
The NGO plans to support the Upper East Regional Hospital in establishing a Childhood Cancer Centre, similar to centres already operational at Tamale, Korle-Bu, and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals, providing equipment and training to ensure comprehensive care for children with cancer.
Eligibility for the scholarships requires applicants to be professionals working in childhood cancer centres with basic knowledge in the field. For nurses, pharmacists, and doctors, applicants must meet specific criteria to enrol in fellowship or specialisation programmes, with further details available on the colleges’ websites.
Mr Adongo acknowledged the support of AMGEN Pharmaceuticals, Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UBS Optimus Foundation (UBS-OF), and called for government backing to expand training, emphasising that childhood cancers are treatable if detected early.
