Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African Countries
PURPOSECancer continues to be a significant public health concern. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) struggles with a lack of proper infrastructure and adequate cancer care workforce. This has led to some countries relying on referrals of cancer care to countries with higher income levels. In some instances,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society of Clinical Oncology
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | JCO Global Oncology |
| Online Access: | https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.24.00131 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850174645260517376 |
|---|---|
| author | Fidel Rubagumya Laura Carson Daniel Afolayan Eulade Rugengamanzi Godwin Abdiel Nnko Omar Abdihamid Verna Vanderpuye Nazik Hammad |
| author_facet | Fidel Rubagumya Laura Carson Daniel Afolayan Eulade Rugengamanzi Godwin Abdiel Nnko Omar Abdihamid Verna Vanderpuye Nazik Hammad |
| author_sort | Fidel Rubagumya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | PURPOSECancer continues to be a significant public health concern. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) struggles with a lack of proper infrastructure and adequate cancer care workforce. This has led to some countries relying on referrals of cancer care to countries with higher income levels. In some instances, patients refer themselves. Some countries have made it their goal to attract patients from other countries, a term that has been referred to as medical tourism. In this article, we explore the current status of oncology-related medical tourism in SSA.METHODSThis was a cross-sectional study. The study participants included oncologists, surgeons, and any other physicians who take care of patients with cancer. A predesigned questionnaire was distributed through African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer member mailing list and through study team personal contacts and social media.RESULTSA total of 52 participants from 17 African countries with a 1.6:2 male to female ratio responded to the survey. Most (55.8%) of the respondents were from Eastern African countries. The majority (92%) of study participants reported that they knew patients who referred themselves abroad, whereas 75% referred patients abroad, and the most common (94%) referral destination was India. The most common (93%) reason for referral was perception of a higher quality of care in foreign health institutions.CONCLUSIONThe findings suggest the need to improve local health care systems including building trust of the system among general population. The study highlights potential financial toxicity, and it adds to the current emphasis on return of investment on homegrown workforce and cancer treatment infrastructure. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b2b567b5e794b1a8b07ca61e23f7280 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2687-8941 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JCO Global Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b2b567b5e794b1a8b07ca61e23f72802025-08-20T02:19:37ZengAmerican Society of Clinical OncologyJCO Global Oncology2687-89412024-12-011010.1200/GO.24.00131Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African CountriesFidel Rubagumya0Laura Carson1Daniel Afolayan2Eulade Rugengamanzi3Godwin Abdiel Nnko4Omar Abdihamid5Verna Vanderpuye6Nazik Hammad7Department of Oncology, Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, RwandaDepartment of Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, CanadaDepartment of Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, CanadaDepartment of Oncology, Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence, Butaro, RwandaDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaDepartment of Oncology, Garissa Cancer Center, Garissa, KenyaDepartment of Oncology, Korle Bu University Teaching Hospital, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaPURPOSECancer continues to be a significant public health concern. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) struggles with a lack of proper infrastructure and adequate cancer care workforce. This has led to some countries relying on referrals of cancer care to countries with higher income levels. In some instances, patients refer themselves. Some countries have made it their goal to attract patients from other countries, a term that has been referred to as medical tourism. In this article, we explore the current status of oncology-related medical tourism in SSA.METHODSThis was a cross-sectional study. The study participants included oncologists, surgeons, and any other physicians who take care of patients with cancer. A predesigned questionnaire was distributed through African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer member mailing list and through study team personal contacts and social media.RESULTSA total of 52 participants from 17 African countries with a 1.6:2 male to female ratio responded to the survey. Most (55.8%) of the respondents were from Eastern African countries. The majority (92%) of study participants reported that they knew patients who referred themselves abroad, whereas 75% referred patients abroad, and the most common (94%) referral destination was India. The most common (93%) reason for referral was perception of a higher quality of care in foreign health institutions.CONCLUSIONThe findings suggest the need to improve local health care systems including building trust of the system among general population. The study highlights potential financial toxicity, and it adds to the current emphasis on return of investment on homegrown workforce and cancer treatment infrastructure.https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.24.00131 |
| spellingShingle | Fidel Rubagumya Laura Carson Daniel Afolayan Eulade Rugengamanzi Godwin Abdiel Nnko Omar Abdihamid Verna Vanderpuye Nazik Hammad Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African Countries JCO Global Oncology |
| title | Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African Countries |
| title_full | Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African Countries |
| title_fullStr | Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African Countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African Countries |
| title_short | Medical Tourism for Cancer Treatment: Trends, Trajectories, and Perspectives From African Countries |
| title_sort | medical tourism for cancer treatment trends trajectories and perspectives from african countries |
| url | https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.24.00131 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fidelrubagumya medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries AT lauracarson medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries AT danielafolayan medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries AT euladerugengamanzi medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries AT godwinabdielnnko medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries AT omarabdihamid medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries AT vernavanderpuye medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries AT nazikhammad medicaltourismforcancertreatmenttrendstrajectoriesandperspectivesfromafricancountries |