Advancing Breast Health in Uganda

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Formative work the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI), in partnership with Ugandan stakeholders, identified significant barriers to timely diagnosis and effective treatment of breast cancer for Ugandan women. Stakeholders subsequently requested technical and scientific support from BHGI to develop breast health

guidelines appropriate to the Ugandan setting, in concert with an implementation plan to translate these guidelines into practice. This application seeks funding for a one-year cooperative conference grant to hold a Summit — Advancing Breast Health in Uganda— to be held in Kampala, Uganda in June 2022. Prior to the

Summit, preliminary work will focus on developing draft resource-appropriate evidence-based guidelines and accompanying implementation strategies to improve breast healthcare, using existing resources developed by BHGI over six Global Summits from 2002-2018. This work has already begun: BHGI, under the direction of the

Steering Committee, convened four Working Groups chaired by Ugandan multidisciplinary experts; held a virtual meeting to launch the initiative; and formed four Scientific Advisory Committees (SACs). The four Working Groups will focus on (1) Policy & Advocacy; (2) Primary Care & Referral Systems; (3) Diagnostic

Pathways; and (4) Treatment & Supportive Care. SACs will provide technical and scientific support. Summit panelists and speakers for the Summit will be identified, and content developed by a Steering Committee, based on feedback from Working Groups. The Summit is organized into 3 days: Day 1, Primary

Care & Referral Systems, and Policy & Advocacy; Day 2 Diagnostic Pathways and Treatment & Supportive Care, and Day 3, Next steps for implementing guidelines in Uganda: Policy Requirements. Following successful strategies in prior BHGI Summits, morning sessions will consist of moderated panel discussions;

afternoon sessions will consist of guided working sessions to synthesize evidence presented earlier each day and produce finalized guidelines. Summit goals are: (1) bring together Ugandan and external experts (population health scientists, clinicians, health economists and policy makers) to present and review draft

guidelines; (2) finalize guidelines and implementation plans including a roadmap to integrate these guidelines into Uganda healthcare systems; (3) formalize a multi-stakeholder association The Ugandan Breast Health Society. We will provide travel grants for trainees from Uganda, and for experts from other regions of sub-

Saharan Africa to attend. Post Summit activities include publication of Summit outcomes, and development of dissemination strategies.