Visits by Dr Max Parkin
On 27–29th January Dr Parkin visited the Namibia National Cancer Registry (NNCR) to advise on cancer registration methodology and to discuss potential collaborations between the Network and the Registry. A Report has been prepared and shared with related professionals. The registry has accepted an invitation to become the 26 member of the Network.
On 19-21st February Dr Parkin, Prof Henry Wabinga (Director of Kampala Cancer Registry) and Sarah Nambooze visited the Gulu Hospital in Uganda following discussions with Dr Martin Ogwang and Dr Ian Magrath (INCTR) to review the requirements for a population based registry serving the population of Gulu. A Report has been prepared and shared with personnel who concerned. Actions have been seen locally. A two-way training, between Gulu and Kampala cancer registries, has been arranged for Francis Okongo (registrar).
On 2–3rd April, Dr Parkin visited Dr Freddie Bray (IARC), Lyon, France, to discuss the programme and plans for the African Hub under the scheme of GICR.
On 23rd April, Dr Parkin, accompanied by Dr Freddie Bray (IARC), visited Dr Msafiri Marijani & Mr Omar Abdalla Ali in Zanzibar to discuss logistics of establishing a population based registry in Zanzibar. A report has been prepared and shared with the personnel concerned.
On 24-25th April, Dr Parkin visited the Kampala Cancer Registry. After reviewing the data, a schedule of work (to complete data on cases seen in Uganda Hospice) for the registry staff was developed. The work comprises part of the MoU with Kampala Cancer Registry for 2014. The MoU includes provision for the training of new staff from Gulu, Uganda.
On 27-29th April, Dr Parkin visited the Ministry of Health in Rwanda to advise on the development of cancer registration for the country. The visit was hosted by Dr Marie-Aimee Muhipundu and Leonard Kayonde from the MoH NCD Department. Recommendations for Rwanda National Cancer Registry were prepared and shared with the personnel concerned, and the Minister of Health, Hon Agnes Binagwaho.
On 21-23rd July, Dr Parkin met Dr Marie Ka Cissé, chef de la division des maladies non transmissibles, ministère de la santé et de l'action sociale du Sénégal, and Pr. Mamadou Diop, Director of the Senegal Tumour Registry and at the Institut Joliot-Curie (BP 15647 Dakar-Fann, Bur 221 33 889 38 50, Port 221 77 450 39 45) from 20th to 23rd July 2014. The aim of the visit was to discuss a) how to establish a substantial cancer registration system under the leadership and support from ministêre de la santé; b) the practical issue of restarting cancer registration in Dakar, Senegal and how the AFCRN may provide support; c) arrangement for the basic training for two junior cancer registry staff in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire in August.
On 20-27th August, Dr Parkin, accompanied by Dr Guy N’Da (Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire) met stakeholders from institute in Bobo-Diolassso, Burkina Faso. The aim of the visit was to assess and discuss the possibility of starting PBCR in Bobo-Diolasso, with the support the NCD department, Ministry of Health. A Report was prepared and circulated to the personnel concerned.
On 8-9th September, Dr Parkin visited Dr Bray at IARC, Lyon, to discuss the programme and plans for the African Hub under the scheme of GICR for 2015.
On 11th September, Dr Sujha Subramanian (IARC), Dr Rachael Joseph and Dr Florence Tangka (CDC) visited Dr Parkin at the NAPH, Oxford, to discuss the situation of cancer registration in Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and possibly within English speaking Western African countries.
On 9-11th October, Dr Parkin was invited by the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium to speak In a session "Planning, Organizational Structure and Management of a Cancer Registry” at their 5th International Scientific Training Conference, Schoelcher, Martinique, French West Indies.
On 6-7th November, Dr Parkin was invited to speak at the '1st Portuguese Meeting of Epidemiology and Cancer Registration' in Porto, Portugal. The talk covered the role of AFCRN in the development of cancer registration (Portuguese-speaking ones) in sub-Saharan African countries. the meeting permitted direct discussions with representative from Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde, on developments of cancer registries in these countries.
On 4-6th December, Dr Parkin will speak about ‘The African Regional Cancer Network: An IARC Regional Hub in Practice‘ on the GICR session at the UICC World Cancer Congress. Dr Parkin will also try to work with Drs James Brierley and Mary Gospodarowicz to review the old ENCR recommendations and to develop simple TNM usable by cancer registries with limited resourses.
On 15-18th December, Dr Parkin will visit Dr Cheikh Oumar DIOP at the Ministere de la Sante, Direction de la Lutte contre, les Maladies, Republique Islamique de Mauritanie. The aim of the visit is to discuss how AFCRN may help establish a substantial cancer registration system under the leadership and support from the Ministere de la Sante.
Dr Elisebete Weiderpass Vainio visited cancer the National Oncology Centre, Luanda, Angola as AFCRN consultant from 25th January to 1st February 2014 to teach on a training course for cancer registrars, and report on the potential for the development of cancer registration in Angola. A detailed report on the consultancy visit and the course has been received and shared with persons concerned.
On 10th October, Dr Elisebete Weiderpass Vainio visited Dr Amos Mwakigonja at the Tanzania Cancer Registry as AFCRN consultant. The aim of the visit was to assess the current situation of the cancer registry. A report on the visit is anticipated.
In April, Catherine Okello spent three weeks with the staff from the Kampala Cancer Registry to find out the situation of two survival studies, in order to verify that all follow up possible has been done, and to suggest where further work needed to be done on case-finding for the years 2010-2012. Catherine Okello has proposed a design for further AFCRN follow up studies.
In August, Catherine Okello (funded by NCI) visited the Zimbabwean National Cancer Registry for a week prior to her consultancy visit to the cancer registry in Zambia. A consultancy report on Zambia cancer registry will be provided to AFCRN. A copy of data of the Zambia cancer registry is requested for the evaluation for AFCRN membership.
Dr Shyam Manraj (Mauritius) has visited the Registre de Reunion from 11-14th November as AFCRN consultant. The aim of the visit was to assess the situation of the Registre de Reunion and decide if it would be suitable for the registry to become a member of the Network.