By Michael Foli Jackidy
Ho (V/R), July 13, GNA – Professor Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh, former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and Ghana’s Ambassador Designate to Canada, has called on oncology nurses to treat cancer sufferers as patients, and not clients, and offer all professional etiquettes to them.
She urged them to embrace compassion and patient-centered care as a key hallmark of effective leadership in oncology practice.
She made this passionate appeal during a keynote address at the Fireside Leadership Chat of the Oncology Nurses Leadership Programme (ONLEP) held at the UHAS Trafalgar Campus in Ho.
The event, held on Friday, July 11, formed part of the ongoing six-month postgraduate certificate programme for oncology nurses from seven African countries.
“Cancer patients are some of the most emotionally and physically vulnerable individuals. They often seek help when it is too late — after trying other means. They come to you desperate for healing. If you see them only as clients, you may lose sight of the compassion and patience required to truly serve them. Treat them as patients first,” she said.
Prof. Edu-Buandoh urged participants, especially young professionals, to build dedicated support systems, balance work and family, and focus on inspiring change rather than chasing positions.
“Leadership is not about positions. It is about influence, impact, and the ability to inspire others. Build yourselves up. Your patients do not care about your challenges when they come to you — they need your strength, your skill, and your leadership,” she added.
She encouraged nurses to expand their worldview beyond their core field.
“A good leader keeps up with the world. Do not let your knowledge be limited to oncology. Be curious, be informed, so you can provide meaningful advice even outside your discipline.”
Prof. Lydia Aziato, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), emphasized the need for strong leadership in nursing and midwifery to improve cancer care delivery across Africa.
She said UHAS is hosting the ONLEP to build leadership capacity among oncology nurses across the continent, noting the strategic partnership with international organizations such as:
City Cancer Challenge Foundation (C/Can) – supporting implementation in Kumasi, Lagos, Nairobi, Kigali, and Abijan, International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC), Faciliso (Australia), and Julia Downing (UK), Amgen, a global biotech company and founding sponsor of the programme.
“This is a postgraduate certificate programme, not a degree. It is a six-month hybrid programme offering training in leadership, fiscal management, psycho-oncology, health systems, stress management, advocacy, and more,” Prof. Aziato explained.
The first cohort comprises 30 nurses — 19 women and 11 men — from Gambia, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Nigeria, and Ghana.
Over the next five years, the programme aims to train 240 oncology nurses with demonstrated leadership potential.
“Participants are expected to undertake real-world projects and return to display how they have applied the leadership and clinical skills acquired. This is about transforming knowledge into impact,” she noted.
The Fireside Leadership Chat provided an intimate platform for the oncology nurse leaders to engage, learn, and network. Participants expressed their gratitude for the inspirational message and real-life lessons shared by Prof. Edu-Buandoh.
They described the session as deeply impactful and timely, especially in their journey toward becoming transformative leaders in cancer care across Africa.
GNA