EDICT/Look Again

The Look Again Program, focuses on the early detection and appropriate referral of suspected childhood cancers through task shifting. Launched in 2019, the program equips primary and lower cadre healthcare workers who are often the first point of contact for unwell children with simple detection and referral tools. To date, 3,000 healthcare providers, including nurses, primary care doctors, and community health workers, have been trained across three southwestern states in Nigeria: Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo. This initiative has been conducted in partnership with various stakeholders, including the Ministries of Health, primary healthcare boards, nursing services, tertiary receiving hospitals, and pediatric oncology departments.

The EDICT (Early Detection and Initiation of Cancer Treatment) program naturally evolves from the results of the Look Again initiative, addressing the challenge that early referral does not always lead to timely treatment due to various factors such as distance, fear, job and work obligations, sibling care, and diagnostic delays. EDICT aims to monitor referred patients, support accurate and appropriate diagnoses, and ensure the initiation of prompt and proper treatment. This program encompasses both the Look Again initiative and the Pedi-Tracker system, working together to improve outcomes for children suspected of having cancer.