Confronting the Breast Cancer Crisis in Africa: Insights from the Africa Breast Cancer Council at AHAIC 2025
Solve the rise in breast cancer burden in Africa
Interview with Dr. Magda Robalo and Kgothatso Motumi of the African Breast Cancer Commission, sharing breast cancer solutions at the International Conference on African Health Agenda in Kigali.
What is the African Breast Cancer Committee? What is it trying to achieve?
MR: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in African women. It causes nearly 40% of cancer deaths and the incidence is rising rapidly. this African Breast Cancer Committee It is a group of African experts founded last year to improve the outcomes of breast cancer in women. We are a diverse group of (mostly) women from across the continent – ​​oncologists, surgeons, economists, former health ministers – using our experience, our networks and our collective voices to try to catalyse women’s progress.
What is breast cancer in Africa today?
Km: African countries have the highest mortality rate of breast cancer in the world. Only 50% of women are expected to be alive five years after diagnosis, while 90% of women in high-income countries are still alive. Most African women with breast cancer are diagnosed as too late. Those diagnosed don’t usually receive the treatment they need. This has had a profound impact not only on women themselves, but on their families (breast cancer creates 90,000 maternal orphans every year), but also on the economy, because we see all of these women dead and so productive.
Why is the rate of breast cancer in Africa so fast?
MR: By 2045, the World Health Organization predicts that breast cancer cases in the region will double. This trend is due to expected growth and lifestyle changes. Some of the main risk factors are smoking, drinking, high weight, increased blood sugar, and lack of exercise. This is why health education and prevention are also important components of solving cancer.
What are the obstacles for African governments to try to address this trend?
MR: Women often lack awareness of symptoms. They also lack access to health care due to geographical and financial barriers. The diagnosis occurs very late, mainly when the disease is in its later stages, when the disease is more difficult and more expensive to treat. Women also face limited treatment options or fear that financial burdens may lead them to not choosing to follow their treatment plans. Therefore, countries need to promote national breast cancer programs to address all of these drivers.
Why are you in Kigali this week?
KM: We are in Kigali International Conference on African Health Agendaa group of health leaders gathered to enhance the image of breast cancer and focus on solutions across the continent. We can learn a lot from the experiences of different countries. One of our main purposes is to promote knowledge sharing through events we host in the venues of the conference, including ministers and key figures in breast cancer from Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Egypt and Rwanda, as well as members of the African Breast Cancer Committee.
What courses will you share across Africa?
MR: We have looked at some African countries that have done better in terms of results, and some of their common points are:
- High levels of support to improve the highest government’s breast cancer care.
- A strong national cancer control program and a comprehensive focus on cancer in women so that we can improve efficiency by treating women (e.g., combining cervical and breast cancer tests) rather than looking at each disease in isolation.
- Dedicated to attracting investments in health systems, enabling them to strengthen specialized breast cancer care – from screening and early diagnosis to all treatment options such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery. Training professional health workers is a key part of this – we need more oncologists, nurses and surgeons to provide quality breast cancer care.
Which countries see the best results for breast cancer?
KM: One example is Egypt, where the presidential initiative on women’s health has greatly reduced the percentage of women who appear in the late stages of breast cancer, from symptom identification to diagnosis to far below the World Health Organization’s 60-day target.
We have members of an initiative at the Kigali event because it is a tangible example of fair, evidence-based, cost-effective strategy that produces impressive results.
Dr. Magda Robalo |Chairman and co-founder of the Global Institute of Health and Development and member of the African Breast Cancer Committee
Dr. Robalo is President and Co-founder of the Global Institute of Health and Development. She is an infectious disease physician and former public health minister for Guinea-Bissau, who has played a leading role in global health programs and public health policies.
Stima Modi’s students | General Manager, Co-Chair, Breast Cancer Committee of Roche Products Ghana and Africa
Dr. Motumi is co-chair of the African Breast Cancer Committee and general manager of Roche Products Ghana, where she oversaw the company’s strategic and operational priorities in providing transformative healthcare solutions.
