Schellenberg project
Evolving dietary patterns particularly in the urban area, life style changes, increased industrialization and increasing unsafe sexual behaviors contribute to this rise, and, in addition, Vietnam has very high rates of tobacco use in male – 56.4%, which leads to high rate of passive smoking among other groups such as women and children.
The crude incidence of cancer in Vietnamese men in the year 2006 was 93.4 per 100,000 and in women 77.4 per 100,000. The leading cancer sites among males are lung, stomach and liver and in females breast and cervix.
Hue is an ancient Capital City with a great history and recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Hue Central Hospital was established by Royal Decrees in 1894, and was the first Occidental Medical Hospital established in Vietnam.
Today, Hue Central Hospital is one of three biggest hospitals under the management of Ministry of Health with over 2000 beds and the highest function of treatment in the central region in Vietnam.
Childhood cancer in Hue
The management of childhood cancer in Vietnam is impeded by many issues typical of resource-constrained settings a high birth rate, poverty, poor hygiene, lack of education, and a multitude of health problems on the health care agenda.
In Vietnam, most children with cancer cannot profit from advances in paediatric oncology in terms of diagnostic techniques, treatment methods and supportive care because of cost-restraints, but more importantly also due to the access to suitably qualified medical care.
There were 538 childhood cancer cases registered in the five provinces of Vietnam (Hanoi, Haiphong, Thainguyen, Hue and Cantho) from 2001-2004. However, estimates put the actual incidence at 2,636 new patients per year nationwide. Leukaemia, lymphoma, tumours of the central nervous system, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma and Wilm’s tumors are the leading types of cancer in Vietnam.
Hue Central Hospital which contributed to the cancer registry from 2001-2004 saw 80 paediatric cancer patients in this period.
Management of patients was split between the oncology department and the paediatric department. In fact, most patients presented at a terminal stage with little opportunity for cure. Staff estimate that only 30% of patients could be offered optimal treatment due to lack of facilities and limited knowledge and understanding of oncology care of medical staff.
This project aims to support the Hue Central Hospital in building local capacity to manage and care for children with cancer by providing a base in professional education, creating a multidisciplinary unit dedicated to paediatric oncology with a high functional level in diagnosis, treatment and improving quality of life for the childhood cancer patients and their families by focusing on four key objectives:
- Professional training in paediatric oncology of key staff
- Assessment of the true burden of childhood cancer in Hue
- Improvement in the level of technical equipment
- Development of material and spiritual support for patients and families
The project "PROMOTING PAEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY CARE AND SUPPORTING CHILHOOD CANCER PATIENTS IN HUE CENTRAL HOSPITAL, VIETNAM" was funded by a generous donation of the Schellenberg Foundation, Switzerland.
