Successful Breast Cancer Symposium in Kigali

On August 31st, 2024, I was honored to be one of the organizers of the annual breast cancer symposium held at the Marriott Kigali. This year's event attracted a diverse group of healthcare professionals, including medical oncologists, breast surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, gynecologists, cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, cancer patient navigators, physicians, general practitioners, digital health specialists, policymakers, and representatives from RHIA and Pfizer.

The symposium focused on key areas such as:?

-Disseminating new cancer treatment guidelines

-Promoting medical oncology training

-Enhancing collaboration and multidisciplinary management

-Exploring genetics and breast cancer

-Integrating cancer drugs into insurance coverage

-And Promoting the adoption and implementation of health data governance principles within the context of cancer care.

A particular focus was on research, innovation, and the application of health data principles to cancer care. The RHIA President provided valuable insights into the principles of health data governance and their importance in patient care processes.

To achieve our goals, we will continue to collaborate with government institutions, medical associations, healthcare professionals, and the private sector. We will actively implement health data principles and conduct ongoing research to assess their effectiveness. For the next symposium, RHIA has been tasked with presenting survey results to demonstrate our progress.