Dr. Mushtaq Dwells on Her Homeland’s Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Capacity Building

Dr. Naureen Mushtaq as the Pediatric Neuro-oncologist from Aga Khan University-Hospital (AKUH) of Pakistan was one of the key speakers joining to “the Biennial International Congress of Pediatric Oncology in Memory of Professor Vossough”, virtually.

Dr. Naureen Mushtaq as the only trained Pediatric Neuro-oncologist in Pakistan, established Pediatric Neuro-oncology MDT at AKUH with the help of an excellent twinning initiative with the SickKids Hospital of Toronto. She is also considered as the founder of Pediatric Neuro-oncology fellowship atAKUH who has developed Pediatric Brain Tumor Boards across Pakistan with the help of My Child Matter Grant (Sanofi Espoir Aventis Fondation) for capacity building of Pediatric Neuro-oncology services in 13 private/public sector hospitals of Pakistan.

On the third day of the congress, May 18^th, 2024, Dr. Mushtaq gave a lecture on the topic “Capacity Building of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology in Pakistan”.

During her speech, Dr. Mushtaq highlighted the disparities in cancer care and funding across high-income and low- to middle-income countries, particularly in the context of diagnosing and treating pediatric brain tumors in Pakistan. She underscored the challenges stemming from the lack of specialized centers and multidisciplinary teams, leading to delays in referrals.

Moreover, Dr. Mushtaq laid out a plan to develop pediatric neuro-oncology services in Pakistan, emphasizing the necessity for a collaborative effort to address research, diagnostics, and treatment gaps.

By underlining the need for capacity-building initiatives, she shared insights to enhance prognosis and the quality of life for children with brain tumors in Pakistan.