Building Sustainable Cancer Care Capacity Across Africa Through Specialized Human Capacity Building

Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Senator, has emphasized the importance of building sustainable cancer care capacity across Africa through specialized human capacity building. In an article titled 'We Did Not Donate Cancer Care. We Built the People Who Could Deliver It,' Dr. Kelej reflects on her leadership journey in strengthening cancer care capacity across Africa.

According to Dr. Kelej, hospitals and infrastructure are crucial for a healthcare system, but they cannot create a sustainable cancer-care system without skilled and specialized healthcare professionals. She highlights that even with the best infrastructure, medicines, and technology, a country's reliance on temporary solutions can hinder progress in building its people first.

Dr. Kelej notes that through Merck Foundation's specialized medical education programs, more than 280 one-year, two-year, and three-year scholarships have been provided to healthcare providers from 35 African countries. These programs have supported the training of the first local oncologists in countries including Liberia, The Gambia, Burundi, Niger, and the Central African Republic.

Dr. Kelej emphasizes that capacity building requires a long-term vision and understanding of how knowledge can multiply over time. She believes that human capacity building is essential for creating sustainable national healthcare capacity, rather than simply relying on temporary solutions or foreign expertise.