Enhancing breast cancer knowledge and clinical skills of healthcare providers in Misrata, Libya

National Cancer Institute, Misrata – Libya

As part of the Breast Cancer programme, this project was awarded a grant for early detection of breast cancer in October 2022.

Project objectives

This project aimed to train a cohort of female health professionals to enhance their knowledge of the benefits of early breast cancer detection and to equip them with the skills to perform clinical breast examination (CBE) and identify breast abnormalities. The initiative was launched in a context where breast cancer awareness is low and the topic remains taboo, making early detection efforts particularly challenging.

Project description

In collaboration with IARC and the Department of Health Libya, the project team successfully recruited and trained 46 healthcare professionals, surpassing the initial target of 40. Over five training sessions, participants were introduced to breast cancer awareness, the importance of early detection, and hands-on CBE techniques using breast models.

The team also ran two breast cancer clinics, inviting the local population to be screened at the hospital. These clinics allowed the group of trained healthcare professionals the opportunity to practice the skills they learned by performing CBE on 98 women. Following these screenings, 56 women who presented with breast abnormalities were guided to further confirm diagnosis via mammography and ultrasound, with no women found to require treatment.

In parallel, an informational campaign was also carried out and 3,750 women were reached through online information. As well as disseminating important information via social media, the team shared information via the radio to inform the population on breast health, although unfortunately, numbers reached are not available.

Key numbers

46 healthcare professionals trained on CBE

98 women screened with CBE

56 women were guided to confirm benign diagnosis

3,750 women reached through online and radio campaigns

Impact

This project has laid the foundation for an early detection programme in Libya and, according to the project team, is the first of its kind in the country. It has helped break taboos around breast cancer and built a skilled group of professionals capable of supporting early diagnosis.

The project has now progressed from capacity‑building to a pilot implementation study, “A pilot study for early detection of breast cancer through primary health care in Libya.” Following a structured preparation phase (Apr 2024 - 14 Sep 2025), covering study tools and patient materials (including an adapted WHO PEN transfer guideline), formal approvals from national authorities, a DHIS2 data partnership, expansion of the implementation team, and a pre‑launch media campaign, the pilot launched on 14 September 2025. Five primary‑care breast clinics (1. Gaser Ahmed General Hospital, 2. Al Mahjob General Hospital, 3. Al Gheran Polyclinic, 4. Al Zarouq Polyclinic, and 5. Merbat Polyclinic) across Misrata have been activated, supported by retraining of original partners and onboarding of new ones. Between 14 Sep 2025 and 14 Jan 2026, 364 women received CBE; 198 were referred for further evaluation; 6 breast cancer cases were diagnosed, 5 at an early stage, demonstrating the effectiveness of the early detection approach. Some referred women sought care in private facilities, abroad, or at the Misurata Medical Center.

These results mark a transition from “teaching” to active case‑finding, creating a functioning primary‑care pathway for breast health in Misrata. The pilot’s performance will inform the planned expansion to additional polyclinics and contribute to shaping a broader national early detection approach.