Cancer care access challenges in Madagascar and Senegal

In Madagascar and Senegal, women facing breast and cervical cancer encounter significant barriers to care despite efforts toward early detection and free services.

In Madagascar, while organizations like the Akbaraly Foundation and the National Assembly promote free screening during October Rose, patients struggle with the transition from diagnosis to treatment. High costs for medication, long hospital wait times, and social stigma complicate the medical journey. Data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated approximately 21,300 new cancer cases and 14,270 deaths in Madagascar in 2022.

In Senegal, although chemotherapy is provided free of charge, the diagnostic phase remains a major financial burden. Patients must pay for consultations, biopsies, imaging, and pathology exams, which can cost hundreds of thousands of CFA francs. Medical specialists note that these cumulative costs for diagnostic and pre-therapeutic assessments often exceed the financial capacity of modest households, delaying essential treatment.