CANCER CONTROL FOR TANZANIA (OPG)

EVALUATION BASED ON DOCUMENTS & INTERVIEWS. PROJECT IS PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY & IS EXPECTED TO ESTABLISH A RELIABLE PROGRAM OF CANCER RESEARCH,DETECTION,AND CONTROL BENEFITTING THE ENTIRE POPULATION. ONE CANCER SURVEY HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND OVER 1,5OO CANCER CASES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED. DATA IS BEING GATHERED,COMPLIED,AND ANALYZED FROM HOSPITALS,DISPENSARIES,LOGISTICS,AND HEALTH PROJECTS,AND RESEARCH STUDIES ARE BEING CONDUCTED TO ESTABLISH CLUES ON THE CAUSE OF COMMON CANCERS. IN ADDITION TO THE 3 PHYSICIANS,4 TECHNOLOGISTS,AND 2 SCIENTISTS RECEIVING TRAINING IN RESEARCH PREVENTION AND DETECTION ACTIVITIES, THERE ARE ALSO PLANS TO TRAIN ADDITIONAL STAFF IN CANCER RESEARCH (1 PHYSICIAN,2 SCIENTISTS). PROJECT HAS HAD AN UNPLANNED IMPACT ON THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF ALBINO SKIN CANCER. CANCER PREVENTION IN THE ALBINO COMMUNITY OF DAR ES SALAAM IS BEING CONDUCTED USING A SIMPLIFIED CAMPAIGN MODELED ON THE "7 CANCER SIGNS." PAP SMEARS ARE ALSO BEING USED SUCCESSFULLY TO TEST YOUNG MOTHERS COMING IN FOR PRENATAL EXAMINATIONS, & TO EDUCATE PHYSICIANS,MEDICAL STUDENTS, AND NURSES ON EARLY CANCER SIGNS. 2CHOLERA EPIDEMICS THROUGHOUT TANZANIA & OUTBREAK OF WAR IN UGANDA RESULTED IN SEVERE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS. THUS, MAJOR SHORTFALL OF PROJECT HAS BEEN A DELAY IN ESTABLISHING AN ADEQUATE CANCER CONTROL NETWORK. ALTHOUGH NEARLY 50% OF THE BUDGET IS ALREADY SPENT,IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT EXPENSES DURING COMING YEARS WILL BE REDUCED. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES HAVE REVEALED THAT PROJECTS NEED TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY SO THAT BENEFICIAL,UNPLANNED ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE ALBINO CHILDREN PROGRAM CAN READILY BE PURSUED. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THAT CONTRACTOR PROVIDE MISSION WITH ANNUAL REPORTS,DETAILED BUDGETS,AND ANNUAL SCHEDULES. ALSO,MISSION SHOULD CONSIDER REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR AN ALBINO PROGRAM(CHILDREN),AND THE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF RADIAL THERAPY UNITS.