Webinar title: Role of Primary Health Workers in Cervical Cancer Elimination
This webinar will explore the complexities of early detection and appropriate referral for rare diseases in limited-resource settings. Participants will gain insights into key challenges, including limited awareness, diagnostic constraints, and socio-cultural factors. The session will highlight practical strategies such as enhancing primary healthcare training, utilizing decision support tools, and implementing community-based screening to improve early identification. Emphasis will be placed on establishing clear referral pathways, leveraging telemedicine, and fostering collaborations to ensure timely and effective management of rare diseases. The critical role of community engagement and education will be underscored as a means to empower patient advocacy and enhance public awareness. Through case studies and interactive discussions, attendees will be equipped with actionable frameworks to improve outcomes for individuals with rare diseases in resource-constrained environments.
Speaker: Dr. Mercy Wanjala
Mercy Wanjala is a primary care provider, researcher, advocate and leader. She is the Executive Coordinator of the Africa Forum for Primary Health Care. She holds a master’s degree in Family Medicine from the University of Havana, Cuba. She is a part time lecturer at Kabarak University Department of Family Medicine and at the University of Health Equity, School of nursing leadership focusing on Primary Health Care and Health Systems Leadership. She is passionate about upstream medicine with a focus on social determinants of health, community empowerment, self-care and strengthening of PHC and Family Medicine in the Africa region.
Objectives:
- Understand the definition and global burden of rare diseases, particularly in low-resource settings.
- Identify key challenges in diagnosing and managing rare diseases in resource-constrained environments.
- Recognize early warning signs and symptoms of common rare diseases that require referral.
- Develop an effective referral pathway for rare diseases within a limited healthcare infrastructure.
- Explore innovative solutions and strategies for improving rare disease care in low-resource settings.
Date: Thursday, 20th of February 2025
Time: 3.00 PM CAT
Duration: 60 min
CPD Points: 1