EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
There is need for patient-centered, high-quality, and value-based care in the management of cancers in general. This includes the whole continuum from prevention, timely access to screening, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care services; and improving rehabilitation and support activities.

Practicing Oncologists are invariably asking questions around value-based care in oncology. For the first time, KESHO held a virtual forum looking critically at the value of cancer care in Kenya and Africa. The 2020 Kenya International Cancer Conference looked at Value as a measure of a patients’ expectations of care and how this can be translated into cost effectiveness, and how these two factors can be combined in a low-resource setting.

The conference had an impressive line-up of presenters from across the globe sharing their experiences on how HCPs can continue to deliver quality care as well as the considerations for providing the quality of care in the Covid environment. The virtual event incorporated several breakout sessions including site-specific discussions around delivering care as well as the related challenges, actual management of cancer patients, policy and advocacy, palliative care, nursing care in oncology, haematological conditions Click here to view agenda

The event also highlighted some of the challenges around delivering care and how to restructure and build systems that deliver effective care. Also, part of the Agenda was a collaborative session with AORTIC where presenters shared anecdotal experiences around research, education, training and building regional networks.

There is an increasing consciousness around how we as a continental community can generate our own evidence and look at what our best practice is, and a critical component to this is setting up our own clinical trials in Africa. Some of these issues were discussed by the conference keynote speakers who gave their experiences on clinical trials in Africa and offered practical tips that HCPs can use to build up our continental collaborations and gather robust clinical data for improved patient outcomes.

The conference also included a session looking at media and the oncologist which touched on effective communication with patients, effective communication with media and how to effectively package key messages for maximum impact.

The 2020 Kenya International Cancer (Virtual) Conference attracted over 400 attendees from various countries around the world including Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Egypt, UK, USA, China, SA, Netherlands, Sudan, India, Tanzania, Libya, Zimbabwe, Germany, Argentina, Switzerland and many others. The 2020 KICC programme featured talks from leading specialists as well as primary care professionals from across Africa and the world.