Africa WRAD Dialogue brings 24 countries together to discuss equitable access to radiotherapy
Radiotherapy professionals, patient advocates and cancer organisations came together for the Africa WRAD Dialogue 2026, held on World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, drawing 335 registrations from 24 countries across four continents.
The online event brought together participants from 24 countries across four continents. The dialogue was held under the theme Building Partnerships for Equitable Access to Radiotherapy Across Africa, and created a space to discuss the people, partnerships and investment needed to strengthen radiotherapy services across the continent. Registrants spanned the radiotherapy workforce broadly, including radiation therapists, medical physicists, radiation and clinical oncologists, oncology nurses and students, alongside patient advocates and policymakers.
The event was moderated by Ummi Musa Umar from the Call Off Cancer Initiative in Nigeria who is also a WRAD Regional Champion and Dr Katie Wakeham, Co-Chair of the World Radiotherapy Awareness Day global initiative.
The conversation continued for almost three hours as speakers shared their perspectives and experiences. The programme addressed several of the factors shaping the future of radiotherapy in Africa. These included sustainable cancer care infrastructure, workforce development, artificial intelligence, investment, innovation and regional collaboration.
Dr Auwal Abubakar from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital explored the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, research and innovation to improve patient outcomes, noting that "the future of radiotherapy is human expertise plus intelligent tools," and calling on Africa to move beyond being a consumer of AI systems to becoming a developer and validator of tools built for African populations. The keynote address was delivered by Dr Tolulope Adewole, Managing Director and CEO of MedServe Nigeria, who discussed the role of strategic investment, partnerships and innovation in building sustainable cancer care infrastructure, highlighting that Africa carries approximately 7.4% of the global cancer burden but around 61% of cancer deaths, a disparity he attributed to gaps in infrastructure, workforce, financing and early diagnosis.
The importance of developing Africa's radiotherapy workforce was addressed by Dr Nwamaka Lasebikan, representing AORTIC and the WRAD Global Advisory Committee, who noted that of Africa's 54 countries, only 28 currently have radiotherapy machines, and that by IAEA benchmarks, zero African countries are meeting their estimated radiotherapy need. Dr Jerry Ndumbalo considered how implementation, innovation and regional collaboration could help translate improved access into meaningful impact.
The dialogue also carried a significant policy announcement. Professor Ali Gombe, Director of Clinical Services at Nigeria's National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), outlined the Federal Government's commitments to transforming cancer care, including presidential approval for 34 linear accelerators and 35 radiotherapy units over the next three years, a public-private partnership model with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority across six cancer centres, and approval of a National Cancer Centre to be managed by NICRAT. He said Nigeria is positioned to become "the hub for West Africa in terms of radiotherapy services."
Mr Aaron Onerhime, representing the Association of Radiation Therapists of Nigeria, and Dr Mary-Ann Ekpo of the Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists, both stressed that radiotherapy delivery depends on multidisciplinary collaboration across professions, institutions and borders. Dr Biyi Olutunde, Acting President of the Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncologists of Nigeria, reminded participants that "radiotherapy is not simply about machines; it is about the patients whose lives depend on timely treatment," urging centres to build referral networks so patients are not left without options when equipment fails.
The programme also included perspectives from Uganda, South Africa, Egypt and Namibia. Benjamin Ssemata from the Uganda Cancer Institute and a WRAD Regional Champion shared lessons on moving from awareness to action. Renée Singh of Warriors with a Purpose in South Africa spoke about the importance of lived experience and ensuring that the voices of people affected by cancer remain part of the conversation.
Professor Mohamed Mahmoud Abdelhakim from Shefa Al Orman Oncology Hospitals in Luxor discussed modern radiotherapy, capacity building and access to quality cancer care, describing a vision for Africa built on the sequence of access, quality, precision and innovation, adapted to local realities. Contributions were also made by representatives of professional organisations and healthcare institutions across Nigeria and Namibia, including Dr Laina Iiyambo, Clinical and Radiation Oncologist from Windhoek Central Hospital, Namibia.
For Ummi, the diversity and level of engagement demonstrated the value of creating a dedicated regional forum.
"The dialogue achieved its purpose of bringing together voices from across the radiotherapy community to discuss people, access, and impact in a meaningful way. The diversity of perspectives and the passion for improving radiotherapy access across Africa and beyond were truly inspiring."
The event concluded with a call to action and an invitation for speakers and participating organisations to make commitments supporting continued progress. Dr Lasebikan proposed three measurable targets for Africa to reach by World Radiotherapy Awareness Day 2027: mapping each country's radiotherapy workforce baseline and gap, funding workforce readiness alongside every capital equipment investment, and establishing at least one regulated demonstration workforce model per country.
By connecting people from across the radiotherapy community, the Africa WRAD Dialogue demonstrated how shared learning and regional partnerships can support the drive towards more equitable access to treatment. As Dr Lasebikan put it, "One voice for radiotherapy, one continent, and one workforce."
