Addressing the childhood cancer crisis in sub-Saharan Africa

To achieve this, Global HOPE and its partners provide specialist paediatric haematology–oncology education at established academic paediatric training and treatment centres as well as cancer education for non-specialist health-care professionals who refer and participate in the continuing care of children with cancer in their communities. Since 2017, 6355 health-care professionals in sub-Saharan Africa have completed various paediatric cancer courses and attended numerous seminars, workshops, and conferences on childhood cancer care. To improve the specialist training and patient care at selected academic training centres, Global HOPE enhances local diagnostic resources and increases capacity to provide higher quality care. In addition to bedside nurse training, these educational approaches include use of online learner-directed resources such as the Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE) education platform that hosts over a dozen open courses and virtual workshops, including Project ECHO seminars. Global HOPE provides training for African pathologists and laboratory leaders via online virtual pathology conferences, access to lectures, and onsite observerships at Texas Children's Hospital.