Dar es Salaam — AFRICA has been urged to invest in training and retaining home-grown neuro-oncology specialists to tackle the growing burden of brain and spinal tumours and improve access to quality cancer care across the continent.
The call was made on Monday by Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) Executive Director, Dr Mpoki Ulisubisya during the opening of the African Neuro-Oncology Society (SNOSSA) Conference in Dar es Salaam.
He said the continent needs a deliberate strategy to develop and retain specialists capable of responding to the rising burden of brain and spinal tumours.
According to Dr Ulisubisya, building a strong pipeline of professionals from medical students and residents to registrars, junior researchers and principal investigators is critical to expanding access to quality neuro-oncology services across Africa.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
“The future of neurooncology in Africa rests not on imported expertise alone, but on developing our own home-grown human resources for health. We must create a pipeline of excellence, from medical students to residents, registrars, junior researchers and principal investigators,” he said.
Dr Ulisubisya said investing in local expertise will strengthen research, improve patient care and deliver practical solutions tailored to resource-limited settings.
He noted that sustainable progress will depend on bridging gaps that continue to limit access to quality care through innovation, stronger health systems, research capacity and mentorship of young African scientists and clinicians.
“The most forward-looking approach is building research capacity, training and mentorship among young African scientists and clinicians to ensure expertise continues to grow within our countries and institutions,” he said.
He added that specialists are committed to promoting equitable access to quality and sustainable neuro-oncology services so that a patient’s location does not determine whether they receive timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment or compassionate care.
Among the conference’s key objectives, Dr Ulisubisya said, is promoting Africanled research that reflects the continent’s realities, develops sustainable home-grown solutions for resource-limited settings and contributes to global scientific knowledge.
“We seek to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration across the entire continuum of care, from prevention and early diagnosis to surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, rehabilitation, survivorship and palliative care,” he said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Speaking at the conference, SNOSSA President Professor Alan Davidson called for stronger regional collaboration in research, education and specialist training to improve brain and spinal tumour care across Africa.
He said the society has grown into a leading regional platform since its establishment in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2018, bringing together specialists, researchers, allied health professionals and patient advocates committed to advancing neuro-oncology care.
“Our vision is to improve outcomes for both adult and paediatric patients with brain and spinal tumours across Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Africa,” Prof Davidson said.
He described this year’s conference as the society’s largest since its inception, attracting more than 300 delegates from across Africa and beyond.
“This is the biggest SNOSSA conference we have ever held, and it promises to be an outstanding scientific meeting,” he said.
Prof Davidson commended the Scientific Committee for preparing a comprehensive programme and praised the Local Organising Committee in Tanzania for successfully hosting the conference with strong support from development partners and industry.