Cancer continues to be a major global health challenge, with significant implications, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. By 2030, it is anticipated that the region will experience over 1 million deaths and more than 1.4 million new cases annually. Disturbingly, Africa is also projected to bear half of the world's childhood cancers by 2050*. In Ghana alone, despite an estimated 24,000 new cases each year among its 31 million population, only approximately 3,500 patients receive treatment annually—highlighting a stark disparity. Tragically, around 15,800 lives are lost to cancer yearly in the country**. Financial constraints further exacerbate this crisis, with over half of treated patients unable to afford to complete their treatment.

Addressing this urgent issue, Alliance for CancerCare Equity (ACCE) champion’s health equity by:

• Covering the expenses for the full spectrum of cancer treatments, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and associated costs, for patients in Ghana who lack the financial means to access adequate healthcare services.

• Providing financial support for cancer treatments to uninsured and underinsured patients in Canada (Kitchener-Waterloo).

• Assisting with the costs of essential, yet unfunded, medications for patients in Canada (Kitchener-Waterloo).

• Offering access to supportive networks and counseling services for cancer patients and their families.

• Providing essential medical equipment for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer in non-profit community healthcare centers

• Conducting vital research into cancer and other diseases to advance understanding and management in both Canada and Ghana.

Through these initiatives, ACCE aims to make significant strides in promoting equitable access to high-quality cancer care and supporting affected individuals and families in their journey towards better health outcomes.

 

* Cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: a Lancet Oncology Commission. The lancet oncology, 2022-05-09. Published online May 9, 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00720-8

** International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organization (WHO). Ghana: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/288-ghana-fact-sheets.pdf