A new research article from the SIOP Africa Pathology Working Group, with Dr Jaques van Heerden among its authors, has been published in Pediatric Blood & Cancer (PBC). It gives the first continent-wide baseline of paediatric oncology pathology services in Africa.
The article, “A Continental Survey of the Diagnostic Capacity and Fellowship Training Priorities for Childhood Cancer Pathology Across Africa”, was first published on 4 November 2026. It is the work of a broad group of authors from across Africa, led by Veronica Nyakato.
Why it matters
Children with cancer can only be treated well if their diagnosis is accurate. Until now, there was little data on how much pathology capacity for childhood cancer exists across Africa. The study set out to measure it in five areas: the workforce, infrastructure, diagnostic capabilities, quality systems and training needs.
What the survey found
Between September 2025 and April 2026, 85 pathologists from 19 African countries in the SIOP Africa network took part in the survey. Its main findings:
- Basic histopathology is almost everywhere (99%), but advanced tests are not. Immunohistochemistry was available in 47% of facilities. Flow cytometry and molecular diagnostics were available in only 15%.
- Results take too long. In 76% of centres, routine histopathology results took more than 7 days.
- Quality assurance is limited. Only 48% of centres took part in external quality assurance programmes.
- Demand for training is strong. 88% of respondents wanted further training. Their top priorities were paediatric pathology (65%), molecular pathology (52%) and cytopathology (39%).
Respondents also named their biggest challenges: limited diagnostic capacity, shortages of infrastructure and equipment, gaps in the workforce, and too few chances for specialist training.
The authors conclude that the strong demand for fellowship training is a real opportunity. Investing in sustainable capacity-building that fits local contexts could strengthen paediatric cancer care across the continent.
Congratulations to Dr. Jacques van Heerden, the SIOP Africa Pathology Working Group and all co-authors on this important contribution.
Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1002/1545-5017.70791
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