Title:	Global Oncology: Clinical, social and political challenges
Keywords:	Non-communicable diseases Health systems Drugs and vaccines Cancer Burden of diseases
Country:	Germany
Institution:	Germany - Institute of International Health, Berlin
Course coordinator:	Dr. med. Oliver Henke
Date start:	2025-06-16
Date end:	2025-06-20
About duration and dates:	One week (“module week”) + three days for a written assignment (submission deadline: two weeks after the end of “module week”)
Classification:	advanced optional
Mode of delivery:	Face to face
Course location: Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Virchow-Klinikum Post address: Augustenburger Platz 1 D-13353 Berlin, Germany Visitors’ address: Augustenburger Platz 1 Campus address: Südring 3b 13353 Berlin, Germany Phone: +49 (30) 450 565 752 Fax: +49 (30) 450 565 989 Email: mscih-student@charite.de Website: http://internationalhealth.charite.de/en/ tropEd representative: Dr Hans-Friedemann Kinkel Email: mscih-coordinator@charite.de
ECTS credit points:	2 ECTS credits
SIT: 60 hours SIT Contact: 30 hours (lectures/ workshops/ guided group work), Self-study: 30 hours (12 hours private reading and preparation of presentations during “module week” + 18 hours for written assignment after “module week”)
Language:	English
Description: At the end of the module students will be able to • develop an appropriate strategy for a country or region of choice to improve the response to the growing burden of cancer diseases • Debate health policy strategies to meet the challenges of the growing cancer burden at a global level and for selected countries • Describe the basic concept of oncology treatments, prevention and palliative care and analyse necessary prerequisites for the establishment of cancer care in low resource settings • Describe epidemiological data of cancer diseases in low resource settings and debate the broader health, societal and economic impact of cancer diseases globally and in different countries and regions
Assessment Procedures: A written assignment (2000-3000 words, accounting 100% to the overall mark). The assignment assesses the capability of the student to analyse a real world situation and to translate the content of the module into public health approaches. For the assignment students are asked to select a LMIC country or region within a LMIC country and to: 1. Describe the epidemiology of Cancer diseases in the particular state/region 2. Discuss the Health and Societal Impact of Cancer in the particular state/region 3. Analyse current responses to Cancer at medical and (governmental and non-governmental) political/societal level 4. Develop a strategy to improve the countries response to Cancer and 5. Identify potential barriers for implementation of the proposed interventions Each student will receive an individual feedback on the assignment and a grade using a rubric matrix. Students pass the assignment if they gain 60% or more of the achievable points. If a student fails the assignment, s/he is allowed to revise and resubmit the assignment considering the comments provided by the marker.
Content: The course takes on a health systems perspective and focuses on the medico-technical, managerial and policy requirements particularly for diagnosis and treatment of cancer particularly in low- and middle income countries. The course will cover the following topics: Day 1 morning: Lecture: “Introduction to the course and topic of Global Oncology” (1h) and “Basic Introduction to Oncology – entities, diagnostics, staging, treatment modalities” (2h) Lecturer OH Day 1 afternoon: Lecture: “Cancer epidemiology and “big data” (2h) (NN) and Workshop “Differences between tropical and non-tropical malignancies” (1h) (OH) Day 1 evening: Self-study (3 h) Day 2 morning: Lecture: “Role of Health Education and Prevention” (1h) (OH) and Lecture and guided group work: “Diagnostics and Treatment impediments – barriers to access” (2 h) (OH and TK) Day 2 afternoon: Lecture “Telemedicine (online-tumour boards, telepathology)” (1h) (TK and OH) and Lecture: “Infection and Cancer diseases” (1h) (TK) and Lecture: “Radiotherapy in developing countries” (1h) (TK) and Day 2 evening: self-study (3 h) Day 3 morning: Lecture: “Pharmaceuticals in low resource setting: procurement, approval, availability” (2h) (PV) and guided group work “Minimum standard for handling of cytostatic medications” (1h) (PV and OH) Day 3 afternoon: Lecture/discussion: “Role of pharmaceutical companies, prizing and access to markets” and “Access to medicine programmes” (2h) (NN) and Lecture and discussion: “Implications for staff and management in new treatment facilities” (1h) (ZA) Day 3 evening: Self-study (3 h) Day 4 morning: Lecture: “Economic burden of Cancer diseases for developing countries” (1h) (DK) and Lecture/discussion: “Health policy strategies to Cancer diseases” (2h) (DK) Day 4 afternoon: guided group work: “Universal healthcare coverage and cancer and public private partnership” (2h) (DK and OH) and Lecture: “Palliative care in low resource settings” (1h) (OH) Day 4 evening: Self-study and preparation of group work results (3h) Day 5 morning: Presentations of the group work (1 h) (DK and OH) and Lecture: “Cancer research in low resource settings” (1h) (DK) and “Future Perspectives for Global Oncology in Academia” (1h) (DK) Day 5 afternoon: Preparation of assignments for the course (2 h) (OH) and Session: Feedback and evaluation (1 h) (OH and TK)
Methods: The course uses participatory learning based on lectures with discussions (24 hrs) and guided group work with presentation (6 hrs) as well as self-directed learning (12 hrs), and a written assignment (18 h)
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the core course. English TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0.
Attendance: Max. number of students: 20 Students have to attend 85% of the module week.
Selection: Participants are selected on a first come first served basis.
Fees: 700 € tropEd MScIH students and alumni (For Berlin students who started their studies in 2022 or earlier the old scale of fees applies. Please see here) 875 € guest students (e.g. DIPH and DTMPH candidates)
Scholarships: None available
tropEd accreditation: Accredited in EC Conference in December 2019. This accreditation is valid until December 2024.
Remarks: Preparatory reading is not required. Course will be sponsored by TAKEDA Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.
Email Address:	oliver.henke@charite.de
Date Of Record Creation:	2019-12-06 09:22:17 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2019-12-06 14:29:33 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked:	2019-12-06 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2024-09-24 09:45:28 (W3C-DTF)