ATOM Coalition: Advancing CML care priorities in El Salvador and Honduras

The UICC-led ATOM Coalition recently convened representatives from El Salvador and Honduras for a regional dialogue focused on strengthening access to diagnostics, medicines, and patient support services for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).  Organised by the ATOM Coalition, with support from UICC member ASAPRECAN and long-time partner The Max Foundation, the dialogue brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to explore shared priorities for improving CML care across both countries. 

Held in San Salvador in collaboration with the Ministries of Health of El Salvador and Honduras, the roundtable gathered representatives from government, healthcare institutions, patient support organisations, people with lived experience, and clinical experts. Together, participants discussed key challenges in the management of CML in the region, including access to essential CML medicines and diagnostics, timely diagnosis and monitoring, and long-term follow-up. Representatives from El Salvador and Honduras shared their experiences and discussed opportunities to strengthen referral pathways, monitoring systems, and collaboration across the health systems. 

Conversations also highlighted the importance of people-centred care through education, adherence support, psychosocial services, and structured accompaniment for people living with CML. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience supporting people living with CML, The Max Foundation facilitated a discussion on the critical role of comprehensive patient support programmes. The discussion focused on how these programmes strengthen adherence, improve quality of care, and ensure that access to medicine is matched by education, follow-up, and psychosocial support. 

Moving forward, The Max Foundation will continue supporting efforts to expand access to essential medicines and diagnostics for CML, while strengthening patient and family support, health information systems, and regional collaboration to improve CML care. Through the ATOM Coalition and alongside collaborators such as ASAPRECAN, this work contributes to the vision in which people living with CML benefit not only from disease-specific interventions, but also from stronger, more responsive health systems.