Working together to help more women in Africa survive breast cancer

Too many women in Africa are losing their lives to breast cancer. While as many as nine out of 10 women will survive the disease for at least five years after diagnosis in some regions of the world, in many parts of Africa, almost five in every 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer today will not be here in five years’ time.1

This is a tragedy for the women, their families and their communities. In 2020 alone, 90,000 children became maternal orphans due to breast cancer.2 It also has implications for Africa’s economies and healthcare systems.

Late diagnosis and inadequate treatment are a big part of the problem.

At Roche Africa we have ambition to improve women’s chances of survival by improving every stage of the breast cancer journey.

To achieve our ambition, we’re working with partners across the region. We’re:

• in rural areas of Kenya so more women can access screening and diagnosis, while also supporting access to treatment. 

• Increasing awareness of symptoms and supporting access to screening in Côte d’Ivoire. 

• Training medical oncologists in Ghana to build the country’s capacity for cancer care. 

• Improving access to breast cancer treatment in Nigeria and Algeria. 

We’re making important progress: 

• Screening: 13,000 women have been screened in Cote d’Ivoire and at least 132,000 in Kenya. 

• Diagnosis: In Kenya, the waiting time between diagnosis and treatment has been reduced.

• Treatment: In both Kenya and Nigeria, more women can access treatment. 

• Care: In Ghana, Roche has sponsored more than 35 oncology nurse scholarships 

We know there is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving breast cancer care in Africa. Solutions must be tailored for local needs, and this is one of the reasons why it is so important for us to work in partnership with governments, health systems and other organisations across the region.

Together, we can re-write the story of breast cancer in Africa.