ESTRO 2024 - Abstract Book

S2687

Interdisciplinary - Education in radiation therapy

ESTRO 2024

[8] Zhong H, Men K, Wang J, Soest J, Rosenthal D, Dekker A et al. The Impact of Clinical Trial Quality Assurance on Outcome in Head and Neck Radiotherapy Treatment. Front Oncol 2019;9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2019.00792 [9] Naismith O, Mayles H, Bidmead M, Clark CH, Gulliford S, Hassan S et al. Radiotherapy Quality Assurance for the CHHiP Trial: Conventional Versus Hypofractionated High-Dose Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer. Clin Oncol. 2019;31:611-620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clon.2019.05.009

1885

Digital Poster

Access to Care Cape Town: 8 year review of the radiotherapy training programme

Nanette Joubert 1,2 , Elaine Caroline Botha 1 , Hester Burger 3 , Bridget Wyrley-Birch 4 , Jeannette Parkes 5,6

1 University of Cape Town, Medical Physics, Cape Town, South Africa. 2 Groote Schuur Hospital, Medical Physics, Cape Town, South Africa. 3 Varian Medical Systems, Varian Medical Affairs, Cape Town, South Africa. 4 Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Radiography, Cape Town, South Africa. 5 University of Cape Town, Radiation Oncology, Cape Town, South Africa. 6 Groote Schuur Hospital, Radiation Oncology, Cape Town, South Africa

Purpose/Objective:

Cancer causes more deaths than HIV, TB and malaria combined. A major barrier in controlling cancer is training an adequate oncology workforce. The lack of focus on cancer care in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs) creates a problem in retaining cancer care professionals. Access to Care Cape Town (A2C) was launched in 2014 with the specific aim of supplementing practical radiotherapy training on the African continent. The aim of this study was to conduct an 8 year review of the impact of the A2C programme and its efforts to sustainably improve radiotherapy in LMICs.

Material/Methods:

An in depth review of the Access to Care programme’s reach and impact on Africa’s oncology workforce as an educational initiative was conducted.

Results:

The programme has expanded to a total of 6 courses. A total of 35 teams have attended training programmes under the A2C umbrella. Teams span across several African countries, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan. Teams have responded positively to course content, and their feedback has been used to improve and restructure course programmes. The programme has grown with its teams during the past 8 years, introducing new courses for more advanced techniques. Teams have shown evidence of broadened knowledge, improved skills and changed attitudes. Challenges faced include expenses on international travel, the COVID-19 pandemic, internet connectivity, online engagement and language and cultural barriers.

Conclusion: