Implementation of a formalized evaluation and planning tool to improve pediatric oncology outcomes in Kenya |
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| Authors: | Doreen Mutua Ayomide Omotola Miguel Bonilla Nickhill Bhakta Paola Friedrich David Wata Sarah Nyaboke Muma Michael Ganey Carol Muriithi Martin Mwangi Alfred Karagu Maina Jaime Libes |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Gertrude Children's Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya;2. Global Pediatric Medicine Department, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA;3. Division of Pharmacy, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya;4. Oncology Department, AIC Kijabe Hospital, Kijabe, USA;5. Tenwek Hospital, Bomet, Kenya Department of Surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California, USA;6. National Cancer Institute of Kenya, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya;7. Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, Florida, USA |
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| Abstract: | Background Survival from pediatric cancers in low middle-income countries is often very low compared to that of high-income countries due to multifactorial etiologies, including late presentation, delayed diagnosis, difficulty with accessing healthcare, drug unavailability, and treatment abandonment. The St. Jude Pediatric Oncology Facility Integrated Local Evaluation Tool (PrOFILE) was developed to map and evaluate childhood cancer healthcare delivery in individual institutions and entire countries, identifying the strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for advancement of care. Procedure Using the PrOFILE self-assessment tool, selected Kenyan pediatric oncology facilities entered data into 12 modules: national context, facility and local context, finances and resources, personnel, service capacity, service integration, diagnostics, chemotherapy, supportive care, surgery, radiation therapy, and patients and outcomes. These modules are grouped into five specific components, including Context, Workforce, Diagnostics, Therapy, and Patients and Outcomes. The St. Jude PrOFILE team analyzed the data and organized the first hybrid workshop, containing both in-person and virtual components. Results Multidisciplinary stakeholders prioritized recommendations for improving care and developed smart objectives to accomplish identified goals over the following 2 years. Strengths and weaknesses of conducting a hybrid global workshop were identified. Conclusions We demonstrated successful use of the PrOFILE tool to conduct a hybrid workshop and identify strategies to improve pediatric oncology care in Kenya. The voluntarily structured work groups will methodically aim to achieve outcome-oriented goals moving forward. |
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| Keywords: | Kenya national needs assessment pediatric oncology St Jude PrOFILE |
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