Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Oncology Care Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with a population of over 1 billion, cancer is one of the leading causes of premature deaths.1 There were approximately 820,000 new cases of cancer and 550,000 cancer-related deaths that occurred in SSA in 2022.2 The burden of cancer in SSA is expected to double, with an estimate of 1.5 million new cases and 1 million deaths by 2040.3 While there has been an increase in initiatives to address the burden of cancer, there remain several challenges in the process of providing oncology care within SSA. One significant challenge is regarding early diagnosis, as delays in receiving a cancer diagnosis can lead to worsening of the condition before receiving treatment and poor treatment outcomes. Costs associated with screening and treatment are another challenge, as a significant portion of the SSA population is uninsured and would have to pay out of pocket for medical expenses and consequently pushing them into poverty due to catastrophic health expenditures.4 In addition, the limited number of medical personnel, poor planning caused by gaps and weaknesses in the cancer registry system, fragmented regional policies and strategies for cancer management, infrastructure, inadequate primary healthcare capacity for effective cancer screening and timely referral and access continues to remain a hurdle for providing oncology care in SSA.5,6 Given these challenges, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven interventions have the potential to be an effective and sustainable solution to improving oncology care in SSA.