Global Hematology Oncology Pediatric Excellence (HOPE)
Our Locations
Global HOPE’s lifesaving work is already underway in sub-Saharan Africa.
Botswana
Botswana has an estimated population of 2.6 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 80 children develop cancer each year in Botswana. Sickle cell disease is relatively rare in Botswana because the country is not endemic for malaria, which is a key geographical factor associated with sickle cell disease.
Texas Children’s Hospital started supporting Pediatric Hematology-Oncology care in Botswana in 2007, by sending specialists to treat children at Princess Marina Hospital in the capital – Gaborone. At the time, less than 10 children were diagnosed and treated in the country while a few others traveled to neighboring South Africa for care.
Through Global HOPE’s capacity building efforts, Botswana now has 3 pediatric oncologists and Princess Marina Hospital diagnoses and treats about 50 children with cancer annually, which is 60% of all cases in the country. A current target of our collaborative efforts is that Botswana will become the first African country where 100% of children with cancer are diagnosed and access specialist care.
Malawi
Malawi has an estimated population of 20.4 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 1,100 children develop cancer each year in Malawi. Sickle cell disease is endemic in Malawi; about 2,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease annually.
In 2013, Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Malawi started supporting pediatric cancer care in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, with an initial focus on HIV-related cancers, particularly Kaposi sarcoma. In 2015, Global HOPE initiated comprehensive childhood cancer care led by expat specialists from Texas Children’s at Kamuzu Central Hospital – a national referral hospital in Lilongwe. There is a second children’s cancer treatment center in Blantyre, the commercial center of Malawi.
Through Global HOPE’s capacity building efforts, there are now two (2) indigenous pediatric hematologists/oncologists in Lilongwe and Kamuzu Central Hospital diagnoses and treats about 180 children with cancer and 200 with non-cancer blood diseases annually. Global HOPE has also trained a team of 18 pediatric cancer nurses at Kamuzu Central Hospital, in addition to other health professionals.
Uganda
Uganda has an estimated population of 47 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 2,800 children develop cancer each year in Uganda. Sickle cell disease is endemic in Uganda; about 15,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease annually.
In 2016, Global HOPE partnered with Makerere University, Ministry of Health and its affiliated clinical institutions to establish one of the first formal pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship training programs in the region. Over 20 specialists have graduated from the fellowship program since 2016, many of them are the designated leaders of the field in the countries, national or regional referral hospitals, and universities.
Two additional pediatric cancer treatment centers were established by Global HOPE-trained specialists, doubling the number of children accessing specialized cancer care in the country. Global HOPE-trained specialists also established the first pediatric blood disease specialist treatment centers in the country. In Kampala, the capital of Uganda, Mulago National Referral Hospital is now one of the largest pediatric hematology and oncology centers in Africa – led by nine specialists that treat about 1,100 children with sickle cell disease, 300 new children with cancer annually, and a dedicated pediatric brain tumor service.
Tanzania
Tanzania is a vast country with an estimated population of 66 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 3,500 children develop cancer each year in Tanzania. Sickle cell disease is endemic in Tanzania; about 11,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease annually.
In 2020, Global HOPE partnered with Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, to establish a second formal pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship training program in the region, led by one of the graduates from the Makerere University/Global HOPE fellowship program, Dr. Lulu Chirande. Five specialists have graduated from the MUHAS fellowship program since 2020.
Global HOPE-trained specialists currently lead pediatric hematology and oncology care in all regions of Tanzania, including Dar es Salaam in the southeast at Muhimbili National Hospital and Aga Khan Hospital, Mwanza (Lake Zone) in the northwest at Bugando Medical Center, Mbeya (Mountain Zone) in the southwest at Mbeya Regional Referral Hospital, and the island of Zanzibar at Mnazi Moja Hospital. Fellows from Dodoma (Central) and Kilimanjaro (northeast) are currently in training.
Kenya
Kenya has an estimated population of 54 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 3,000 children develop cancer each year in Kenya. Sickle cell disease is endemic in Kenya; about 14,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease annually.
At its affiliated fellowship programs in Uganda and Tanzania, Global HOPE has trained six (6) of Kenya’s first pediatric hematology and oncology specialists including the current leaders of clinical services at Kenyatta National Referral Hospital and Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral Hospital in Nairobi, and Kisii County Hospital in the southwest of Kenya.
Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the world’s most densely populated countries with a population of about 14 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 700 children develop cancer and about 420 are born with sickle cell disease each year in Rwanda.
In 2023, Global supported the establishment of the first pediatric cancer treatment service at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali (CHUK) by installing a modern chemotherapy pharmacy and kickstarting access to anticancer drugs.
South Sudan
Established in 2011, South Sudan is one of the world’s newest countries. It has a population of about 12 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 520 children develop cancer and about 6,000 are born with sickle cell disease each year in South Sudan.
Global HOPE has trained two pediatric hematologists/oncologists who lead sickle cell disease care at Al Sabbah Children Hospital in Juba. They also care for children with cancer by providing initial diagnosis and referral for treatment, to Uganda or other children’s cancer centers in the region.
Namibia
Namibia has a population of about 2.8 million. Based on global childhood cancer incidence, an estimated 100 children develop cancer each year in Namibia. Sickle cell disease is relatively rare in Namibia because the country is not endemic for malaria, which is a key geographical factor associated with sickle cell disease.
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