An overview of retinoblastoma research in Africa with a focus on prevalence and access to services
Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary malignant ocular tumor in children typically diagnosed before the age of five. Although RB is more prevalent in lower-income countries than in higher-income regions, many African nations face unique challenges that hinder effective diagnosis, treatment, and overall management of this condition. It is a curable condition and the survival rates in developed countries where patients report early, surpass 90%. The survival rates in developing countries however, are abysmally poor with survival rates ranging from 10-30%. The lower rate of survival is due to the fact that a majority of patients delay in utilizing healthcare services resulting in late diagnosis and application of appropriate treatment. In African countries research on RB is limited though it has been an area of growing interest. Lack of resources and disparities in access to healthcare services is a huge challenge. This overview highlights recent findings regarding the prevalence of RB in Africa as well as access to essential services for affected children. Addressing these challenges through collaborative efforts, capacity-building, and community education could lead to significant improvements in early detection, treatment, and survival rates for children with RB across the continent.
Dr. Gilbert Batieka Bonsaana, is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Ophthalmology, with ten (10) years of teaching experience as an ophthalmologist in the School of Medicine (SoM), University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, Ghana. He is a Consultant Ophthalmologist and the Deputy Head of the Dental, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Sub Budget Management Unit (DEENT Sub-BMC) of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Tamale, Ghana. He is a Fellow of the Ophthalmologists of East, Central and Southern Africa (FCOphthal-ECSA) since 2015 and an International Member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology since 2017. His major research areas are community involvement and engagement, epidemiology of eye diseases, eye infections, ocular trauma and ophthalmic tumors. Dr. Bonsaana has over 16 peer reviewed articles and 10 scientific presentations. Dr. Bonsaana is doing a joint PhD in Clinical Ophthalmology with UDS and UAlberta.