Overcoming Barriers in the Implementation of Programs for Breast and Cervical Cancer: A Pilot Model

PurposeBreast and cervical cancers are leading causes of mortality in Latin America. Although Colombia has an integrated health system that provides universal coverage, approximately 70% of patients with cancer are diagnosed in a late stage. The government has a 10-year cancer control plan that is focused on prevention, early detection, and treatment; however, many barriers have hindered its implementation. Since 2012, Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention has worked to decrease the burden of breast and cervical cancer by mitigating the obstacles women face during their cancer journeys.MethodsThrough community outreach and meetings with medical personnel, hospital directors, and government officers, we identified some of the barriers—a deficit of trained personnel and physicians, limited centers and scarcity of equipment for early diagnosis, and a fragmented health system with poor continuity of care. Our proposal included monthly teleconferences, a twice-a-year on-site training and quality control prog...