The project will contribute to the creation of the Oncology Service at the Baptista de Sousa Hospital in Mindelo. It also aims to strengthen the diagnostic capacity in Pathological Anatomy and Imaging, as well as the conditions for surgical treatment, chemotherapy and palliative care at this hospital, as well as at the Praia Central Hospital – Dr Agostinho Neto.

In the context of this project, in early 2024, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation donated specialised clinical equipment worth approximately 90,000 euros to both hospitals, namely to the Medical Oncology and Pathological Anatomy Services at Dr Agostinho Neto Hospital and Baptista de Sousa Hospital, and to the Palliative Care Service at Dr Agostinho Neto Hospital.

The equipment that was donated includes an isolation chamber for the preparation of cytotoxic drugs, hospital stretchers, an articulated bed, an emergency vehicle, a shower and eye wash, an archiving system, a double observation microscope, a macroscopic table and other essential devices and materials for the diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases.

Besides donating this equipment and consumables, the Onco-CV project plans to support specialised training for Cape Verdean health professionals in Portugal and on-the-job training, with the technical support of the Portuguese Oncology Institutes of Lisbon and Porto.

Onco-CV is the result of the collaboration between the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Ministry of Health of Cape Verde, initiated in 2016 with the development of population-based cervical cancer screening, through the development of resources and the purchase of equipment, which was consolidated in 2018 with the project “Improving the diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases in Cape Verde”. The latter enabled 23 health professionals to undertake postgraduate training in oncological fields, 12 specialised training internships for Cape Verdean health professionals in Portugal and the training of more than 40 professionals locally, thereby improving the country’s capacity to diagnose and treat oncological diseases.