Brain tumors are the most common solid neoplasm and leading cause of malignancy-related deaths in children. Nearly 80-90% of 250,000 new cases of paediatric cancer each year are diagnosed in low- and middle-income countries.
The portal allows them to register and consult specialists for children, who are unable to receive appropriate medical treatment for brain tumors. Once a child is registered on the portal, a free teleconsultation is offered to parents by a paediatric oncologist guiding them about their symptoms and accessing appropriate medical treatment.
The platform aims to improve health outcomes for children with brain tumors in a country where multiple factors can affect the management of brain tumors.
According to Dr Naureen Mushtaq, Paediatric, Neuro-oncologist at the Aga Khan University, poverty, lack of education, malnutrition, inaccessibility of specialized tumors and poor compliance from families are some of the factors, which can lead to delayed diagnosis with poor outcomes. The platform serves patients up to 18 years.
The Department of Oncology developed the CBTiP platform (cbtip.aku.edu) in collaboration with dHRC. The CBTiP platform was formally launched in August 2022.
The free-of-cost CBTiP Platform acts as a referral system, which brings the services of specialists from 13 public and private sector health facilities across Pakistan to improve the diagnosis and management of children diagnosed with brain tumors.