Sello Motseta
30th January 2020
The First Lady Neo Masisi told stakeholders today that there are plans to train clinicians, build a system for care and construction of a Centre of Excellence for children with cancer and blood disorders in Botswana, to ensure Batswana children enjoy their right to life and dignity.
“I am privileged to be the inaugural member of the Global HOPE(Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) International Council. As a member I plan to sensitize lawmakers, the business community, civil society, communities, individuals and other stakeholders on the reality of childhood cancer and blood disorders,” said First Lady Neo Masisi.
She said, “You are the first group of stakeholders that I have engaged with and wish to sensitize you on the current situation of childhood cancer and blood disorders in Botswana. It is my hope that stakeholders such as yourselves, work hand in hand with the Government of Botswana and others to tackle some of these challenges that have led to poor cancer outcomes.”
According to officials the Botswana-Baylor Clinic which was formed to contend with HIV/AIDS amongst children in 2003 has attended to over 14,000 children and their families, trained over 4,000 healthcare workers and participated expeditiously in the Botswana programme.
It is alleged that it started to see pediatric cancer and blood disorder in children as far back as 2007 and has since grown to a national programme. It now has over 12000 patients who would otherwise have been referred to South Africa at high cost to the Botswana Government.
The clinic at Baylor now provides services to over 300 patients of all ages. Yet despite concerted efforts, it is clear that the outcomes of the treatment programme are well below those of developed countries. There are glaring gaps in the provision of services as compared to their counterparts in the developed world. For example, in the US over 80% of children survive but in sub Saharan Africa of more than 100,000 children who develop pediatric cancer each year in sub Saharan Africa, almost 90% die.
Officials hope that they will be able to reverse the spiraling rise of this debilitating health epidemic.
“We are developing a national program for children with cancer and blood disorders. We are also building on success of experience of Baylor clinic on HIV/AIDS,” said Jeremy Slone, Medical Director – Global HOPE Botswana Programme and the Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine.
He said, “We have seen drastic increase in children diagnosed with cancer and showing increased awareness of the disease.”
