World Child Cancer (WCC) works to improve services for children with cancer and their families in low-middle income countries, including Bangladesh. It builds and sustains partnerships between paediatric oncology units in low-middle income countries with those in high-income countries whose staff are able to volunteer to provide training and mentorship in skills that are essential in caring for children with cancer.
WCC is working with the International Children’s Palliative Care Network in Bangladesh to improve services for children with life-limiting conditions requiring palliative care in Bangladesh. Megan Doherty, a palliative care specialist from Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Canada is leading this work.
A partnership between the paediatric haematology/oncology departments at University College Hospital, London and Bangabandu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in Dhaka was set up in 2012 aiming to assist in training and retention of staff. World Child Cancer received a second grant from the UK government to expand this partnership to include seven childhood cancer units in Bangladesh to improve treatment, care and quality of life for children with cancer. By focusing on strengthening the health system and working across the seven leading government paediatric cancer units, the project will ensure long-term change is effected so that children who are diagnosed in future years and their families, as well as health workers, will be impacted well beyond the life of the project.
In Bangladesh we now work in five hospitals in Dhaka and two outside in Chittagong (low) and Syllet (north) We have recently signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministy of Health that will allow us to work in more facilities outside Dhaka. We have been supporting the development of national protocols, developed guidelines for supportive care and trained nurses in leadership skills. We are at the final year of our second FCDO-funded project and have started a new project funded by the pharmaceutical company BMS that looks at improving care for children with blood malignancies (leukaemias but also thalassemia, sickle cell disease). This means that the partnership is working very well .
Volunteers from other hospitals and individuals trained in a variety of disciplines from medicine and nursing to play therapy are always welcome as volunteers in the programme and we welcome expressions of interest.
Afiqul Sara Ward Rounds
Dr Megan Doherty and Yasmin
