Problem

Peru faces several significant challenges in managing breast and cervical cancer, which hinder effective care and treatment for women. On one hand, many patients are diagnosed at advanced stages of cancer due to delays in screening and access to diagnostic services, leading to poorer outcomes and higher mortality rates. On the other hand,  waiting periods for consultations, diagnostic tests, and treatments are common, which delays timely intervention and increases the risk of cancer progression. This project aims to increase early diagnosis, improve wait times and the user experience, strengthen the service culture, and optimize operational, administrative, and financial management within local healthcare systems.

Solution

Our project in Peru builds on a successful facility-based, workflow improvement model implemented in Cusco, Peru in 2021, which digitized health worker shift scheduling, improving visibility into provider supply and patient demand. By applying this methodology, a solution will be co-created by mapping existing screening capacities, and then building a digital tool for local clinical managers to facilitate referrals and efficiently allocate preventive services for women at risk of cancer. It will focus on improving cancer screening and care for women aged 30 to 69. 

Impact

By leveraging available technology and local resources, Movement Health Foundation and partners aim to increase access to life-saving early cancer diagnosis via screening, and to facilitate efficient allocation of preventive services for women at risk of cancer. Further work in these communities will also elucidate specific gaps in treatment that can be addressed through additional partnership engagement in the future