Customized training programs lead to knowledge exchanges between US and African pathologists

Without intervention, experts predict that cancer mortality in sub-Saharan Africa will double to 1 million deaths per year by 2040. Accurate diagnoses by pathology professionals are essential to positive cancer treatment outcomes, yet most African countries – including Nigeria – face a shortage of routine training opportunities that are needed to hone the oncology skills of their pathology workforce.

In response to Nigeria’s training needs, BVGH and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) organized a three-day workshop in collaboration with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Three ASCP experts from MD Anderson Cancer Center (USA) and the University of New Mexico (USA) presented pathology case studies on breast, prostate, colorectal, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and described specimen handling, shipping, and fixing techniques. Attendees from across Nigeria presented their case studies, discussed radiologic and pathologic correlations of breast cancer diagnoses, and learned about the use of synoptic reporting – a process for reporting data in a specific format – to standardize their diagnostic reports.

Feedback from the workshop participants indicated that the program had improved their cancer pathology skills, yet the attendees desired additional training that included other cancers of high prevalence. Acknowledging this request, BVGH partnered with ASCP and the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) (Nigeria) to conduct a nine-week digital training program that attracted 83 pathologists from 35 Nigerian hospitals. The weekly webinars explored the application of histopathology and immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of lymphomas and breast, cervical, prostate, colorectal, and liver cancers. One additional webinar, taught by ASCP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dan Milner, focused on business and fiscal planning for laboratories – skills that are not typically taught during medical training but that are critical for increasing access to and affordability of laboratory services.

As noted by Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Health during the digital program’s graduation ceremony, the training equipped Nigeria’s pathologists to diagnose cancers more effectively and efficiently. However, the results of a post-course exam emphasized the need for ongoing practice to reinforce the concepts taught and produce enduring changes to participants’ practices. Following the digital course, BVGH and ASCP launched a digital mentorship platform for African pathologists. Via the platform, US-based pathology residents engage more than 300 laboratory personnel from 13 countries across Africa through weekly case posts that spark discussion and promote global knowledge exchange. The platform – which is hosted on Workplace by Meta – enables participants to network, share educational resources, and provide their recommendations for solutions to on-the-ground challenges. Emphasizing its utility, Prof. Yawale Iliyasu, an Associate Professor of Pathology at ABUTH, remarked, “The platform is an invaluable resource for pathologists at ABUTH. Consistent engagement and knowledge-sharing with experts and colleagues has built pathologists’ confidence and enabled them to perform diagnoses more quickly and accurately, which will improve cancer patient outcomes at our hospital over time.”