The 6th Annual Malawi Cancer Symposium took place on September 4-5 at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe. Organized by the Malawi Ministry of Health in collaboration with the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and UNC Project Malawi Cancer Program, the symposium provided a platform for both local and international cancer research, care and advocacy stakeholders to exchange information, highlight strategic priorities and identify opportunities for collaboration, personal development, and training with the common goal of reducing the burden of cancer in Malawi.
Keynote Address
Dr. Leo Masamba, a leading oncologist in Malawi, and Dr. Catherine Mwaba (MD), a radiation oncologist from Zambia, served as keynote speakers.
As the founding oncologist of the Department of Oncology at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), Dr. Masamba has been instrumental in developing and improving oncology services across Malawi, including at Blantyre Adventist Hospital and Mwaiwathu Private Hospital. He is also one of the founding directors of the International Blantyre Cancer Centre, the first radiotherapy center in the country, and actively involved in the development of the National Cancer Centre in Lilongwe. In addition to his clinical roles, Dr. Masamba serves as a regional council member for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and is a member of the African Cancer Coalition. He has been appointed Scientific Advisor for Sanofi, reflecting his influence and leadership in oncology both locally and internationally.
Dr. Catherine Mwaba, a seasoned Radiation Oncologist with qualifications from St Petersburg Paediatric State Medical Academy and the College of Medicine of Radiation Oncologists of South Africa, is the current Vice President of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) Council—Southern Africa. Currently, Dr Mwaba leads the Adolescents Role-based Responsibilities for Oncology Workforce (ARROW) project in Zambia, an NCI-funded initiative in collaboration with Implenomics, Research Triangle Institute (RTI), and the Population Council of Zambia, focusing on implementation science to enhance cancer care.
Representatives from the Ministry of Health also presented crucial updates on the national cancer program policies and sessions introduced childhood cancer and cervical cancer, followed by presentations on supportive cancer care, including insights from the Breast Cancer Care Foundation. A session on blood cancers concluded with a critical discussion on access to cancer diagnosis and care.
Featured Abstracts
This year’s theme “Close the Care Gap, Recognize the Power of Working Together in the Fight Against Cancer” was supported by the presentation of 18 abstracts.
1.) Dr. Trijn Israels presented two abstracts titled “CANCaRe Africa – The Collaborative African Network for Childhood Cancer Care and Research” and “Development and effectiveness of a Wilms tumour treatment guideline adapted to local circumstances in sub-Saharan Africa.”
(Dr. Israels is a paediatric oncologist from the Netherlands who has worked in Malawi for over 20 years. She is the current chair of CANCaRe Africa, the Collaborative African Network for Childhood Cancer Care and the Wilms Africa Project. She is the Project leader of ‘Zero Abandonment from Start to Finish.)
2.) Dr. Israels also presented two of Dr. George Chagaluka’s abstracts titled “Twenty years Wilms Africa Project; effective collaboration, adapted treatment guidelines, local evidence and improved patients’ outcome” and “Cost Effectiveness of Family Support cash Incentives to sustainably prevent Treatment Abandonment in sub-Saharan Africa.”
(Dr. Chagaluka is the Head of the Department of Paediatric Oncology in Blantyre, Malawi, and the Clinical Head of the Department of Paediatrics. He is also the chair-elect of the Wilms Africa Project of CANCaRe Africa, the Collaborative African Network for Childhood Cancer Care and Research.)
3.) Cecilia Mdoka Nkhono presented “Outcomes of Common and Curable ‘WHO index’ Childhood Cancers in sub-Saharan Africa: A Report from CANCaRe Africa.”
(Nkhono is the central data manager and programme manager of CANCaRe Africa, the Collaborative African Network for Childhood Cancer Care and Research.)
4.) Jessie Sinkhonde presented “Enhancing Pediatric Cancer Care through Nutritional Support: Evaluating the Impact of Soy Flour Supplementation Program at Kamuzu Central Hospital.”
(Sinkhonde is a nutritionist at Baylor College of Medicine, working with the Global HOPE Pediatric Hematology-Oncology program at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), specializing in creating tailored nutrition plans to support children undergoing cancer treatment, aiming to improve outcomes and manage side effects. In addition to nutritional care, she provides play therapy at the clinic, offering holistic support to enhance the well-being of young patients, and is dedicated to empowering families and improving patient care through expert guidance and compassionate interventions.)
5.) Agness Chisomo Chitedze presented an abstract titled “Development of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Guideline for Pediatric Oncology Care in Sub-Saharan Africa.” (Chitedze is a Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (PHO) pharmacist working at Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation Malawi with over five years of experience. She has served as a member of the Global HOPE pharmacy advisory council in Sub-Saharan Africa providing clinical pharmacy expertise. She is very ambitious and passionate about working to help improve pediatric oncology practice in Malawi. Chitedze graduated from the University of Malawi College of Medicine, with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (honours) degree in 2015 and an MSc in Clinical Epidemiology at Stellenbosch University in South Africa in 2022.)
6.) Beatrice Kabota, presented “Equity in Provision of Cervical Screening – Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups in A Screening Programme In Malawi” and “Outcomes of Cervical Cancer Screening in Rural Malawi Using a HUB and Spokes Model of Delivery with Same Day via Screening and Thermal Ablation Treatment Type.”
(As a a Public Health specialist with a nurse midwife background working with Nkhoma Hospital, she has a decade of experience in fighting cervical cancer as a cervical cancer screening national trainer, mentor, a provider, and a member in Malawi National Cervical cancer steering committee. Currently, Kabota is working as National Coordinator for Malawi Scotland Cervical Cancer screening and Mentoring project (MALSCOT).)
7.) Pericles Kalande presented “Factors Associated with HPV Vaccination in Three Communities of Malawi: Results of a Household Survey.”
(Kalande’s health research focuses on the intersection of HIV and non-communicable diseases (NCD), mainly hypertension and cervical cancer.)
8.) Sitalire Kapira presented “Implementation of a Cervical Cancer Tumor Board to Optimize Patient Care and Follow-up at a Rural Hospital in Malawi.”
(Kappa graduated from Harvard University with a Master of Medical Science in Global Health Delivery program in 2021. He completed his training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Warwick Medical School in 2014 and also received a diploma in Clinical Medicine from the Malawi College of Health Sciences. He works as a Maternal and Child Health Manager with Partners in Health in Malawi. As a maternal health champion in the district, Sitalire takes the lead on quality improvement projects to address maternal health issues in the Neno district, including cervical cancer.)
9.) Dr. James Kachingwe presented “Increased access to cervical cancer screening services in Malawi between 2020 and 2023: A case of cervical cancer screening and HIV services linkage.”
(He is currently working for Palladium International LLC (ROPEL Health Project), as Senior Cervical Cancer Technical Advisor seconded to Ministry of Health – Reproductive Health Directorate. He has educational qualifications in Medicine (MBBS,) Master of Science in Public Health (MPH) and Master of Business Administration (MBA). Dr. Kachingwe has some skills in Management and Leadership in Healthcare as well as strategic planning. In Malawi, he has contributed to the development of HIV National Strategic Plans, Cervical Cancer National Strategic Plan. He also has public health experience in HIV, STI and Cervical Cancer and related SRHR programs.)
10.) Rex Chinzu presented “Exploring the experiences of caregivers caring for children with cancers at Ndimoyo Palliative Care Centre.”
(Chinzu is a palliative care Nurse who works at Ndimoyo Palliative Care Trust in Salima. He has 10 years experience with palliative care in Malawi.)
11.) Memory Kanyemba presented “Fidelity of the Friendship Bench Intervention among Women with Co-Morbid Cervical Cancer and HIV at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi.”
(As a final-year master’s student in global health implementation at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, she serves as a data officer at UNC Project Malawi, focusing on data-driven methods to enhance global health outcomes, particularly in mental health.)
12.) Meagan Harrington, presented “Travel Time to Cancer Care and Centralization of Healthcare Services as Barriers to Lymphoma Diagnosis and Treatment in Lilongwe, Malawi.”
(Harrington graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2023 with a BA with highest distinction and highest honors in geography and a BA in biology. Following graduation, she moved to Malawi full-time to work at UNC Project-Malawi as a cancer research intern. Her role utilizes R and GIS to understand more about the patients in the lymphoma cohort in Malawi.)
13.) Sylvia Njunga Malema‘s abstract “The Association between Psychological Resilience and Palliative Care Problems and Needs in Cancer Patients in Kunming, China: A Cross-Sectional Study” was introduced.
(Malema is a results-oriented nurse with three years of experience in palliative care qualitative research, focusing on various factors affecting cancer patients to advance evidence-informed policies and practices in nursing care.)
14.) Dr. Apatsa Matatiyo presented “Pilot Feasibility and Validity of Flow Cytometry for Diagnosis of Burkitt Lymphoma in Malawi.”
(Dr. Matatiyo is a team leader with the UNC paediatric cancer team pursuing a Masters in Public Health.)
15.) Edwards Kasonkanji presented “Diagnostic Adequacy and Characterisation of Adult Bone Marrow Biopsies at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Malawi: A Retrospective Study.”
(Kasonkaji is a young Investigator at UNC Project Malawi, with a Master’s degree in Public Health and major in Health Services Research. He has a wide experience in conducting research studies including Clinical Trials. He is a Team Leader in the UNC Project, NIH Funded Cancer studies; Including Lymphoma Cohort, Multicentric Castleman Disease (MCD), AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC) and Breast Cancer studies.)
Find a full list of Symposium presenters here.
-Gabrielle Gomani