We are proud to announce the formation of the AORTIC Radiation Oncology Special Interest Group, a forum that aims to improve the quality of radiation therapy delivery in Africa.
Although cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths in African countries are increasing at an alarming rate, the existing infrastructure is unable to sufficiently address this trend. The purpose of this SIG is to improve the quality of radiotherapy services across the continent by:
- Identifying clinical, education, and research priorities
- Exchanging information and treatment practices
- Compiling a directory of radiotherapy resources in Africa
- Organising training opportunities at regional centers of excellence
- Establishing areas of international collaboration
The first general meeting for the Radiation Oncology SIG will be held at the AORTIC 2017 Conference in Kigali on Thursday, 9 Nov, 16:30–17:30 (room TBA).
The goal of this meeting is to introduce the steering committee and discuss the short-term and long-term goals of the SIG. We would also welcome your input during the meeting regarding the current landscape of radiotherapy services.
The following are a few specific action items that will be accomplished at the meeting:
- Launch survey that will evaluate current availability and quality of radiotherapy services
in Africa - Establish a database of needs and on-going projects in order to facilitate collaborations
- Explore education platforms for Africa
Anyone interested in learning more about this SIG is welcome to attend. We also encourage you to forward this link to colleagues and trainees in your departments and other radiation oncologists, medical physicists, etc. to let them know about both this meeting and this initiative.
We look forward to seeing you there!