Merck Foundation Cancer Access Program in partnership with Ministry of Health of Senegal... Update

Sokhna Seye
Nursing Oncology Trainee
Merck Foundation Alumni


Senegal

We are very happy with the partnership between Merck Foundation and our  ministry of health to build cancer care capacity in Senegal. Merck Oncology Fellowship Program came on time because cancer has become a public health problem. This training upgraded my knowledge, improves my practice and can train other healthcare providers to assist in the early diagnosis and treatment of patients. It  allow us to launch an awareness and information campaign in our various localities to detect cancer  early and reduce the mortality rate. 

Nous sommes très heureux du partenariat entre la Fondation Merck et notre Ministère de la Santé pour renforcer les capacités de prise en charge du cancer au Sénégal.
 
Le programme de formation "Merck Oncology Fellowship Program" est arrivé à temps car le cancer est devenu un problème de santé publique. Cette formation a amélioré mes connaissances, amélioré ma pratique et peut former d'autres prestataires de soins de santé pour aider au diagnostic précoce et au traitement des patients. Cela nous permet de lancer une campagne de sensibilisation et d’information dans nos différentes localités pour détecter rapidement le cancer et réduire le taux de mortalité.
 

Dr Abdoulaye Keita
Pathology Oncology Trainee
Merck Foundation Alumni


Senegal

“Cancer remains a major public health problem. Its care is multidisciplinary. It is very important to focus on prevention because "prevention is better than cure". The early diagnosis and immediate treatment are also very important because they avoid complications.

The Merck Foundation Oncology Training Program will allow us to improve the early diagnosis and proper management of Cancer and and to increase our experience as a pathologist In our countries we will try to empower  our patients to benefit from this learnt experience.
Many thanks to the Merck Foundation and Ministry of Health of Senegal for giving us this great opportunity.”

"Le cancer reste un problème majeur de santé publique. Ses soins sont multidisciplinaires. Il est très important de se focaliser sur la prévention car "mieux vaut prévenir que guérir". Le diagnostic précoce et le traitement immédiat sont également très importants car ils évitent les complications.
Le programme de formation 'Merck Oncology Fellowship Program' nous permettra d’améliorer le diagnostic précoce et la bonne prise en charge du cancer et d’accroître notre expérience en tant que pathologiste. Dans nos pays, nous allons essayer de permettre à nos patients de bénéficier de cette expérience acquise.
Un grand merci à la Merck Foundation et au Ministère de la Santé du Sénégal pour nous avoir offert cette formidable opportunité.”
 

Mr Abdelaziz ABDELMADJIT
Radiation Oncology Trainee
Merck Foundation Alumni


Senegal

“Cancer in Senegal has become a public health problem as this disease kills many patients a day.

The cancer situation in Senegal is more than 1000 to 1200 new cases per year with a mortality rate of around 70%, which is extremely high.
It is in this light that the Merck Oncology Fellowship Program comes on time to allow us to improve cancer care in Senegal.
 
This is a great responsibility, because the lessons and good practices learned here should be shared, once back home , to better care for cancer patients.
We are very grateful to Ministry of Health or Senegal partnered with Merck Foundation to give us the opportunity to participate in this program .”

«Le cancer au Sénégal est devenu un problème de santé publique car cette maladie tue de nombreux patients par jour.
La situation du cancer au Sénégal est de plus de 1000 à 1200 nouveaux cas par an avec un taux de mortalité d'environ 70%, ce qui est extrêmement élevé. C'est dans cette optique que le programme de formation 'Merck Oncology Fellowship Program' arrive à temps pour nous permettre d'améliorer la prise en charge du cancer au Sénégal.

C'est une grande responsabilité, car les leçons et les bonnes pratiques apprises ici devraient être partagées, une fois de retour au pays, pour mieux soigner les patients atteints de cancer.

Nous sommes très reconnaissants au Ministère de la Santé du Sénégal, en partenariat avec la Fondation Merck, de nous donner la possibilité de participer à ce programme.»

About Merck Oncology Fellowship Program

The Merck Oncology Fellowship Program, a key initiative of Merck Cancer Access Program, focuses on building additional capacity through medical education and training.

The lack of financial means is not the only challenge in Africa and developing countries, but a scarcity of trained health care personnel capable to tackle the prevention, early diagnosis and management of cancer at all levels of the health care systems is even a bigger challenge.

Merck Oncology Fellowship Program focuses on building professional cancer care capacity with the aim to increase the limited number of oncologists in Africa and Developing countries. The program provides One-year fellowship program at Tata Memorial Centre - India, One and half-years Oncology Fellowship programs at University of Malaya - Malaysia, Two years Oncology Fellowship Program at University of Nairobi - Kenya and Two years Master degree in Medical Oncology at Cairo University - Egypt, in partnership with African Ministries of Health, Local Governments and Academia.

Launched in 2016, over 43 candidates from more than 17 African countries has rolled in the Merck Oncology Fellowship Program. The program will continue to build cancer care capability in African countries such as Botswana, Cameroon, CAR, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.