ASCP, SIPath, and BVGH Collaborate to Improve Cancer Diagnostics in Côte d'Ivoire

Breast, cervical and prostate cancers are the three most prevalent cancers in Côte d’Ivoire in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC). They accounted for more than 50 percent of new cancer diagnoses in 2017 in that country.¹ The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Cote d’Ivoire has emphasized its commitment to improving cancer patient outcomes in Cote d’Ivoire.

To address this challenge, 95 pathologists and medical laboratory professionals from 10 French-speaking countries attended a cancer diagnostic workshop for pathologists and oncologists in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire in mid-April. The breast pathology workshop, jointly held by ASCP and Seattle-based BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH) in partnership with the Ivorian Society of Pathology (SIPath), was held at the University Hospital Center, Treichville.

Participants came from Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville), Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo. Experts and ASCP members from the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal, Canada, led the workshop in French. The workshop covered a range of topics in breast cancer diagnosis, including skills in anatomic pathology and cytology in addition to discussions of case studies.

“The workshop was very, very interesting. I have learned a lot, and my vision has changed a lot,” said one workshop participant and resident in oncology at the CHU de Treichville in Abidjan. “The future with my patients has been improved because now I have a new vision of how to conduct my diagnosis. And, I know that with our pathologists, we will take action to improve patient care.”  

The workshop included presentations from the expert trainers and question-and-answer sessions, where a lively discussion between participants and trainers took place. One of the trainers, Dr. Marie-Christine Guilbert, a clinical assistant professor of Pathology at the University of Montreal and practicing breast pathologist at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, said the Q&A sessions demonstrated the participants’ engagement and understanding of the material. The participants appreciated having time to ask questions to clarify and expand their understanding, especially with trainers who spoke their native French.

“There were a lot of questions from the participants, and their questions were challenging for us,” said Dr. Guilbert. “I think it really showed their active listening, their curiosity for the topics that were covered and, most of all, their advanced knowledge of breast pathology. The questions they were asking were also very practical and showed their strong desire to improve their practice and protocols in their institutions.”

In addition to the workshop, ASCP donated pathology textbooks to SIPath to further their continuing education and skill-building in this field. During the closing ceremony, Dr. Mohenou Diomande, professor of Anatomic Pathology at the Faculty of Medicine of Abidjan and President of SIPath, presented a workshop certificate and two to three donated books to representatives of each participating country.

This workshop follows a visit to Côte d'Ivoire by Dan A. Milner, Jr., MD, MSc(Epi), FASCP, Chief Medical Officer of ASCP. Under the support of the Ivorian Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, ASCP, SIPath, and BVGH will continue collaboration to improve cancer diagnostic capabilities in Côte d'Ivoire through equipment donation, continuing training, and laboratory capacity-building.

Read the June 2019 Update for the ASCP Center for Global Health here.