Building Foundations: Strengthening Paediatric Cancer and Palliative Care Capacity in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Objectives/Purpose: Childhood cancer outcomes and survival rates in Papua New Guinea (PNG) remain suboptimal due to sociocultural factors, diagnostic delays, fragile health infrastructure and an acute shortage of trained and specialist health personnel. Recognising the urgent need for capacity building, we implemented a structured educational and training program to equip healthcare professionals with practical knowledge and skills in paediatric oncology and palliative care, with the aim of building clinical capacity across the country. Sample and Setting: A multidisciplinary team, including Australian paediatric palliative care, oncology, nursing, pharmacy and orthoptics specialists, partnered with PNG-based healthcare leaders to codeliver a week-long, face-to-face training program. Fifty-two participants from 11 PNG provinces attended, including paediatricians, nurses, allied health professionals and pastoral care workers. Procedures: The training curriculum comprised core topics in paediatric oncology and palliative care, including symptom management and psychosocial care, with interactive sessions specifically adapted to PNG's unique healthcare challenges. Post-training surveys evaluated the program's perceived effectiveness and identified strategic priorities for ongoing system-level support, education and workforce development. Results: Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 96% rating the training as 'good' or 'very good'. Critical challenges identified through qualitative analysis included limited availability of trained personnel, insufficient multidisciplinary collaboration and the psychological burden experienced by healthcare providers in high-stress, resource-limited settings. Systemic barriers, including insufficient access to resources and institutional support, were identified as obstacles to apply new skills within clinical practice. Conclusions and Clinical Implications: This initiative demonstrates the feasibility and impact of intensive, contextadapted educational programs for improving paediatric palliative and oncology care in low-resource settings such as PNG. It has informed the development of locally relevant training pathways and informed long-term capacity-building strategies. Future efforts will focus on the integration of sustainable training programs, expansion of multidisciplinary involvement and embedding of palliative care into routine paediatric oncology services.