Undaunted by the Pandemic, ASCP Continues to Support Diagnosis of Cancer Patients in Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic has created disruption worldwide. Nonetheless, ASCP’s Center for Global Health (CGH) has forged ahead in its quest to improve access to diagnosis and care of cancer patients in Africa.

This would not have been possible without the support of ASCP members, partners, and donors. The Center for Global Health received two major donations of supplies, from Avantik and Mercedes Medical, that have outfitted pathology laboratories in five African nations as well as Haiti, as part of ASCP’s Partners for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Initiative.

“We have seen this pandemic cause major logistical challenges not only in procurement and shipping of COVID-19 testing supplies, but also supplies for other laboratory testing in some cases. You can imagine a scenario where a lab may need to import certain laboratory consumables and supplies, but manufacturing or flights into the country may now be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.” says Debby Basu, PhD, manager of the Center for Global Health. “Through our equipment and supply donation program, we have received tips from ASCP members or partners who either work in labs that have supplies or equipment they no longer need or who know of labs with materials that could be donated to other labs in need. Our team then performs a series of checks and balances with both donor and recipient lab parties to evaluate the quality of the donation and make sure the donation meets the recipient lab needs. So our members really play a critical role in our outreach efforts in supporting this program.”

Avantik provided 200 cases of tissue cassettes, one of the main components of tissue processing that creates the permanent tissue block for pathology studies. In addition, Mercedes Medical donated 50 cases of frosted glass slides, the other main component of tissue processing that creates the permanent glass slides cut from tissue blocks. Both consumables have been, or will be, distributed to pathology labs in Haiti, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Tanzania.   

“We are deeply appreciative of the support we received from our ASCP members and member volunteers, Eshetu Lemma Haile, MSc,MA,PhD(c),MLS(ASCP ⁱ ), Quality Care Consultant, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,  Lisa Stephens, MBA, HTL(ASCP)^cm, of the Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute at Cleveland Clinic, and Linda Cherepow, HT(ASCP)HTL (Founder, Global Histology Consulting, LLC) for the work they have done to both support identifying and facilitating donations," said Dr. Basu.

Meanwhile, ASCP member Lisa Stephens donated two Aperio CS2 whole slide imaging scanners, as well as paired computer, monitor and keyboard for each instrument. They were donated to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Mbarara, Uganda.

“Being involved in this outreach is very important for our relatively young pathology program at Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MUST)” said Stephen Asiimwe, MBChB, MS, DrPH; Program Director of the Global Health Collaborative at MUST (Mbarara University of Science and Technology), Uganda. “The program needs more staff, training and equipment. This equipment donated will go a long way in meeting the immediate needs of over 150 children in our pediatric oncology program and a higher number of adults that need quick and affordable diagnostic services in the western region of Uganda.”

This donation was also supported by logistical partners, including Bollore Logistics (who coordinated shipping for the multi-site donations), SMM Instruments (who provided servicing of the scanners and support for installation and training) and MOTIC (who provided support for deployment of telepathology services), as well as ASCP collaborators and partners like the Ministry of Health in Zambia, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).

“The donated scanner is a ‘game changer’ to histopathology services in our laboratory and pathology services in Zambia, as a whole. This is the first scanner in a public hospital for histopathology services,” said Aaron Lunda Shibemba,  BSc, MBChB, MMed Anat.Path (Stellenbosch S.A.), FCPath (ECSA), National Coordinator Pathology and Laboratory Services with the Ministry of Health in Zambia and Head of Pathology and Microbiology at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.

“This equipment will assist anatomic pathologists obtain second opinion consultations from both local and international super-specialized pathologists who are lacking in the country. This will provide direct access to subspecialty pathologists, such as renal pathologists, neuropathologists or dermatopathologists, for immediate consultations. Accuracy of histology diagnosis will be achieved and thus improve patient care,” he added.

Lisa Stephens, of the Cleveland Clinic, poignantly summed up why it is important that she support ASCP’s outreach to support laboratory medicine in other countries.

“Over the years that I have worked for Cleveland Clinic, I’ve heard stories from pathologists about their volunteer work in various countries in Africa. One story in particular stuck with me,” she recalled. “One of the hospitals only had one IV pump for the entire hospital.  It was being used for a 17-year-old girl. A very ill gentleman came to the ER. The doctors needed the pump for him immediately. During that gentleman’s treatment, the 17- year-old girl passed away from her lack of IV treatment.  At first, I was sad upon hearing this story, but then I became somewhat angry.  An IV pump is a piece of equipment that is so basic to hospital care that it felt wrong that this hospital only had access to one.”

A short time later, after she was promoted to supervisor, Ms. Stephens saw an article in an ASCP publication about an initiative to bring much-needed laboratory supplies to underserved countries. “Our department had several digital slide scanners that were purchased for a project that never came to fruition,” she said. “This was a perfect opportunity to help support medicine in countries with low resources. It was exciting to learn where the scanners went (Uganda and Zambia), and it was truly uplifting to know we still have the ability to help people despite these isolated and trying times.  We cannot change the world with one donation, but perhaps, we can improve a small corner of it.”

To find out more about pathology laboratory resources that are in need or how to donate, visit: https://www.ascp.org/content/get-involved/center-for-global-health/resource-wish-list