The Network for Oncology Research in Sub-Sahara Africa (NORA Study) aims to contribute to reducing the mortality of Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer in partner countries through research, capacity building, networking, policy engagement, and research transfer. In Nigeria, the focus is on research, capacity building, and networking.
NORA Study
The Network for Oncology Research in Sub-Sahara Africa (NORA Study) aims to contribute to reducing the mortality of Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer in partner countries through research, capacity building, networking, policy engagement, and research transfer.
In Nigeria, the focus is on research, capacity building, and networking. In research, the project is committed to establishing evidence-based breast cancer and cervical cancer screening and treatment pathways applicable in sub-Saharan Africa.
In the area of capacity building, the project involves opinion leaders, and policymakers in fostering women’s decision to seek cervical cancer and breast cancer screening. It is also using rapid ethnographic and action approaches (REAP) to understand what determinants underly the intention to seek screening among women using an integrated behavioral model with culture and stigma domain determinants.
Another area under the work package of capacity building is designing and implementing a context-adaptable intervention and evaluating the feasibility, adoption, and sustainability of the interventions. The study will undertake a qualitative systematic review of literature to identify the personal and health system needs of family caregivers of cancer patients at end-of-life in the home setting. It will provide evidence for the integration of Indigenous and local community resources and infrastructure into cancer-directed palliative care services, design and implement contextually appropriate palliative care interventions for cancer care and evaluate the feasibility, adoption, and sustainability of the intervention.
In the networking workstream, NORA Study will determine periods from symptom self-detection to first contact with the health system to confirmed diagnosis of suspicious breast lesion. This is to identify modifiable barriers and enablers to early-stage diagnosis. It will explore from different perspectives to improving cervical cancer screening, treatment, and follow-up in primary healthcare clinics.
The NORA consortium involves five countries; Nigeria, Germany, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and AFCRN-Lyon (France). In Nigeria, we are implementing in FCT, Rivers and Nasarawa States. It is funded by GIZ/ German Government.
