Names on photographs:
Uganda – Mr. Dick Rainsbury, Ex-President of ABS, Charles Omofomwan, Programmes Co-ordinator, Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET), Dr Alfred Jatho, Ugandan Cancer Institute, and Professor Jerome Pereira, Executive Director for Blended Learning UK, visiting Ugandan Cancer Centre, Kampala.
Zambia – Mr Dick Rainsbury, Ms Muleba, Country Director for Global Health Partnerships, Professor Jerome Pereira BLUK, and Dr Kabisa Mwala, Cancer Diseases Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia
The Association of Breast Surgery and Blended Learning UK won a highly competitive National grant to develop a global breast cancer training package to reduce cancer deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Approximately, 2.3 million breast cancers are diagnosed globally every year and two thirds of cancers are detected from the above 3-regions. Around 75-80% of breast cancers in these regions present with advanced disease (stage 3 & 4) and the cancer death rates are approximately four times higher compared to that noted in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The James Paget University Hospital, Breast Surgeons Professors Jerome Pereira and Sue Down are leading the project for Blended Learning UK, for developing the online educational package. The Association of Breast Surgery Surgical Team consists of Miss Leena Chagla, Mr Dick Rainsbury and Miss Ruth James.
Professor Pereira and Mr. Dick Rainsbury visited Uganda and Zambia in November 2024 in order to plan the education and training packages for senior Clinical Leaders, Primary Healthcare Workers and Community Healthcare Workers in both countries. They also had the opportunity of meeting key stakeholders at the Ministries of Health and Cancer Institutes to hold high-level discussions to plan the National Strategy, aimed at meeting the increasing needs of breast cancer management.
On completion of this project in these two countries the Teams will focus their efforts on the other low and middle income countries in this region.
The James Paget University Hospital Breast Surgeons are working closely with Global Health Partnerships, project management team on behalf of Sanofi Pharmaceuticals who are funding the programme and are delighted to play a key role in the saving of tens of thousands of lives worldwide.
