Defining availability of 100 essential diagnostic items for children with cancer and gaps in implementing WHO recommendations: Global CEDx Working Group survey

This study established the availability of a core set of 100 essential diagnostic items recommended by WHO in low-income and middle-income countries in different phases of expanding access to care for children with cancer. A scarcity of essential laboratory and pathology, surgery and anaesthesia, and imaging diagnostics in all settings were identified, as well as a disproportionate lack of access for patients in the public setting, further disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored local awareness and factors affecting adoption and implementation of WHO recommendations and priorities for policy action. Our findings point to the utility of an essential diagnostics list for children analogous to WHO's essential medicines list.FUNDING: American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities and St Jude Children's Research Hospital.PMID:35837925 | DOI:10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00428-4

Source: Cancer Control - July 15, 2022 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Catherine G Lam Ana Patricia Alcasabas Federico Antillon Patricia Calderon Mae Dolendo Ligia Fu Yessika Gamboa Pascale Gassant Wendy Gomez-Garcia Sanjeeva Gunasekera Aye Aye Khaing Roman Kizyma Laila Hessissen Justin Mulindwa Yuliya Nogovitsyna Claudia Pa Source Type: research