Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41105196›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuro-oncology2025

National and institutional capacity building with international collaboration to advance pediatric neuro-oncology care in Ethiopia: a baseline need assessment survey.

Mamude Ali Dinkiye, Gashaw Arega, Tolesa Diriba Biratu, Tadele Hailu Bekele, Daniel Hailu, Haileyesus Adam, Diriba Fufa Hordofa, Mulualem Nigusie, Yalew Melkamu Molla, Negeo Tesfaye and 6 more

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Article in Journal of neuro-oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Mamude Ali Dinkiye *Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Gashaw Arega *Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. gashaw.arega@aau.edu.et.
Tolesa Diriba BiratuUnit of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tadele Hailu BekelePediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Daniel HailuDivision of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Haileyesus AdamDivision of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Diriba Fufa HordofaPediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Jimma University Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Mulualem NigusiePediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Yalew Melkamu MollaPediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Gondar Hospital, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Negeo TesfayePediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Wollega University Hospital, Wollega, Ethiopia.
Getasew FikadPediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Bahirdar University Hospital, Bahirdar, Ethiopia.
Aziza T ShadPediatric Hematology/Oncology, The Herman & Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai, George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington DC, USA.
David N KoronesPediatric Oncology and Neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, USA.
Luca SzalontayDivision of Oncology, Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, USA.
Julie BroasThe Aslan Project, Washington DC, USA.
Eric BouffetPaediatrics at the University of Toronto, and Head of the Neuro-Oncology Section in the Division of Haematology/Oncology at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPediatric neuro-oncology (PNO), which encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors in children, represents a critical but underserved area of pediatric cancer care, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, there is a significant gap between the burden of pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors and the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic services.

objectiveThe main aim of this study was to assess the current state of pediatric neuro-oncology care barriers, institutional capacity needs, and opportunities for international collaboration to guide the development of a strategic road map for advancing PNO care in Ethiopia.

methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 160 health professionals working on pediatric cancer related care with a response rate of 76.2% (160/210) using snowball sampling technique from July 20–31, 2025. Data was collected using a structured and anonymous self-administered online questionnaire prepared using google format and disseminated to participants via email. The prepared questionnaire included demographic and professional background, current capacity and challenges in PNO care in Ethiopia, perceived institutional capacity-building needs, opportunities for international collaboration, and perspectives on national and international collaboration for PNO care in Ethiopia.

resultsAmong health professionals who participated in this study, 122 (76.3%) were males and 76.3% of respondents were aged between 30 and 45 years. The survey results revealed widespread systemic challenges across institutions; with the majority of respondents reporting substantial gaps in essential infrastructure and services. Nearly half of the respondents (42.5%) reported that fewer than 25 PNO cases were diagnosed and treated annually in their hospitals. At the time of the survey, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital hosted the only Pediatric Neuro-Oncology (PNO) tumor board in the country. The study finding revealed serious limitations in molecular diagnostic services (85.0%), unavailability of immunohistochemistry services (75.0%), and 92 respondents (57.5%) reported the absence of a PNO training program in their institutions. About 77 respondents (48.1%) reported a lack of access to radiotherapy services. The majority also expressed interest in participating in such capacity-building initiatives.

conclusionThere was strong interest in participating in a coordinated national initiative to advance PNO care, alongside an urgent need to establish a national capacity-building program and a dedicated PNO tumor board at the institutional and national level in Ethiopia.

Indexed as

Capacity BuildingInternational CooperationMedical OncologyNeeds AssessmentAdultChildCross-Sectional StudiesEthiopiaFemaleHealth PersonnelHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesCapacity buildingCentral nervous systemEthiopiaPediatric neuro-oncology

Identifiers

PMID41105196

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.