West Africa intensifies cancer screening and diagnostic efforts

Health authorities in Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire are intensifying efforts to combat cancer and chronic diseases through large-scale screening campaigns and new medical technologies.

In Burkina Faso, the 2026 'Octobre Rose' campaign has launched with goals to provide 6,000 free echo-mammographies, 100,000 cervical cancer screenings, and to sensitize two million women. Additionally, the country has introduced MammaTyper technology in university hospitals in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso. This molecular diagnostic tool provides results in six hours, allowing for more precise and efficient treatment plans.

In Côte d'Ivoire, medical initiatives are focusing on both cancer and chronic conditions. A medical caravan led by the Abidjan Cardiology Institute is conducting free hypertension and diabetes screenings across 26 localities. Meanwhile, oncology experts are emphasizing the critical need for early detection of breast and cervical cancers to overcome socio-economic barriers and high mortality rates associated with late-stage diagnoses.