The rising burden of multiple myeloma in Kenya has
not been met by a commensurate effort for control.
Patients and practitioners struggle with
unavailability and unaffordability of diagnostics,
drugs and stem cell transplant leading to
presentation at advanced stages and under-
treatment with increased morbidities and
mortality. A concerted effort among stakeholders is
urgently needed to develop strategies for myeloma
control. The scarcity of providers also carries grave
consequences for Kenyan patients. The Academic
Model Providing Access To Healthcare (AMPATH)
multiple myeloma program organized the Inaugural
Virtual Multiple Myeloma Congress to achieve both
interactive specialist instruction and stakeholder
engagement. Expert presenters and panellists from
diverse disciplines were invited to offer in-depth
presentations on myeloma care and case studies
from panellists´ practice were used to contextualize
learning points and form a basis for generating
debate on the challenges facing providers and
opportunities for care improvement. An audience of
health professionals offering care to myeloma
patients was invited. The underlying principle of
recommendations developed during the congress
was collaboration among in-country and
international practitioners, researchers and policy
experts from private and public sector. This
partnership of stakeholders bears the potential of
pooling scarce resources and for collective advocacy
towards better patient care.