Key Players in Cancer Care Management in a Low Income Country (Haiti)

Summary: Seeking to explore cancer care in a low income country -Haiti Conducted phone interviews and engaged in email communications, WhatsApp conversations with leaders and key players such as physicians, nurses, public health officials former and current, cancer survivors, advocacy group ambassadors on the topic of cancer care coordination of Haiti in 2024. Cancer care in Haiti is fragmented and mainly driven by the Hand of the diaspora and efforts of international organizations and/or partnerships. Many patients ultimately seek care elsewhere in neighboring countries or islands such as in Cuba, Dominican Republic or the United States: specifically as it pertains to radiotherapy. There is a growing need for radiotherapy in Haiti however accurate data and information are difficult to obtain as, at this time, no functional national tumor registry is currently maintained in Haiti. Based on above observations and findings, obtaining funding for a pilot tumor registry could help assess feasibility of a sustainable regional tumor registry. Marie Stephanie Baguidy, MD (Presenting Author) - MCWAH