Capitalizing on success against childhood HIV/AIDS in Botswana: Towards a comprehensive healthcare policy for pediatric oncology in Botswana

Pediatric HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa has been a major public health crisis with an estimated 3.5 million children infected. Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) has created a network of centers providing care and treatment for these children in several countries. In Botswana, where the first BIPAI center in Africa was opened, childhood mortality from HIV/AIDS is now less than 1%. Botswana is a middle-income country that previously held the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. Efforts against HIV/AIDS have resulted in the building of a strong medical infrastructure with clear success against pediatric HIV/AIDS. The WHO predicts the next global health crisis will be cancer. Given the increased incidence of cancer in the setting of HIV/AIDS, Botswana has already implemented strategies to combat HIV-related malignancies in adults, but efforts in pediatrics have been lagging. This policy paper describes the importance of building on success against pediatric HIV/AIDS and extending this success to pediatric cancer in general. Specifically, it outlines a comprehensive pediatric cancer policy for the education and training of health professionals, the development of a pediatric cancer program, a pediatric cancer registry, public awareness efforts, and an appropriate, country specific pediatric cancer research agenda.