Implementing a community-based cancer prevention and early detection model in underserved communities in Mexico

Program
Community Based Cancer Prevention and Early Detection
 

Our Partner
Our Partner

AMPATH Mexico through the University of Texas Foundation


Country
Mexico


Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in Mexico. Many citizens, primarily in rural areas, face obstacles to obtaining continuous care for cancer prevention and screening1. Breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer are three of the highest burden cancers in Mexico and designated for priority screening and detection measures in Mexico’s 2021-2024 National Cancer Action Plan2.

Astellas funding supports the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Mexico and its community-based cancer prevention and early detection program. AMPATH is a global network of academic health centers that work directly with public sector health systems in countries with underserved populations to provide healthcare for all. Leveraging the proven strategies of AMPATH Kenya, AMPATH Mexico is led by a collaboration between Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, Benémerita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), the Puebla state health system and a community-based non-governmental organization (NGO) partner.

The AMPATH Mexico program aims to transform primary healthcare through an integrated approach that harnesses the power of academic medicine while engaging the community to address the social drivers of health, including high levels of poverty and illiteracy. Limited access to primary care, lack of trust and continuity with primary care clinic providers, and economic and transportation barriers to receiving healthcare have been identified as major drivers of poor health by community members. In partnership with AMPATH, Astellas will target support for the three highest burden cancers (breast, cervical and prostate) through health literacy programs and early detection and screenings. This program is designed to serve 3,000 patients in Puebla, Mexico.
 

  1. World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). GLOBOCAN 2020: Population factsheet: Mexico.2020 [cited 2022 Oct 28]. Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/
  2. Programa de accion especifico de prevencion y control de cancer 2021-2024. Secretaria de Salud de Mexico