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Radiation Oncology Workforce in Colombia.
Raúl Murillo1,2, Alejandro González1, Juan Carlos Galvis1
1Centro Javeriano de Oncología, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia.
JCO Global Oncology
|February 6, 2020
Summary
Colombia faces a significant shortage of radiotherapy machines and specialists, with current deficits expected to persist. Addressing this requires expanding training programs to meet rising cancer treatment demands.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Colombia is undergoing an epidemiologic transition, marked by rising cancer incidence similar to high-income nations, alongside persistent infection-associated tumors.
- The country faces a substantial deficit in radiotherapy machines (approx. 47) and radiation oncology specialists (19-149), impacting service delivery.
- Existing training programs are insufficient to meet the growing demand for radiation oncology professionals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the current and projected deficit of radiotherapy resources and specialists in Colombia.
- To highlight the critical need for expanding educational programs in radiation oncology.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cancer incidence trends in Colombia.
- Estimation of radiotherapy machine and specialist shortages based on international standards and national demand.
- Projection of future deficits considering current training program output.
Main Results:
- Colombia has a significant shortage of radiotherapy machines and specialists, with projections indicating the deficit will continue.
- A single training program serves a population of 45 million, with limited regional educational options.
- Reliable data on supporting workforce (medical physicists, radiotherapists, oncology nurses) is lacking.
Conclusions:
- The radiotherapy sector in Colombia is critically under-resourced, necessitating urgent expansion of training and services.
- A balanced approach between educational program capacity and national radiotherapy demand is essential.
- Further research is needed to include comprehensive workforce data for a complete analysis of radiotherapy services.
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