Ongoing Projects

Always – On Cancer screening projects in local communities

District-based cancer prevention projects aligned with WHO Strategy
In alignment with the World Health Organization’s global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer, the Elekta Foundation builds its operations on population-based screening—a proactive public health approach that systematically invites all eligible individuals within a defined population to participate in screening programs. This method ensures equitable access and maximizes early detection across entire communities.

Our work is structured district by district, with each area managed as a dedicated project. Within each project, the Elekta Foundation deploys a specialized team consisting of a gynecologist, a patient navigator, and a data manager. This team collaborates closely with local and national health professionals to strengthen capacity and ensure high-quality service delivery.

Within our Program for Integrated Women’s Cancer Care, the Elekta Foundation conducts dual screening, simultaneously screening for cervical and breast cancer. This approach targets the two most common cancers affecting women in low-resource settings, enabling more efficient use of health resources and improving access to early detection and care.

Our journey towards impact

Our current efforts are centered in Rwanda, where we are scaling up program. To date, we’ve conducted screenings in seven districts, including Karongi, Kayonza, Rubavu, Nyabihu, Gicumbi, Bugesera, and Kicukiro. Regardless of the district, we always rely on our well-adapted FAST model to guide every stage of our programs, from awareness and screening to diagnosis and treatment. Read more about this below.

Our FAST-model includes:

F = Fast HPV testing
A = Affordable cost per woman
S = Systematic tracking
T = Timely diagnosis and Treatment

Our Added Value:

Public Private Partnerships
Qualitative care
High throughput
Digital solutions

Kirehe District (Upcoming Site)

HPV screening for women aged 30–39 is scheduled to begin in Kirehe District in August 2025. Located in Rwanda’s Eastern Province near the Tanzanian border, Kirehe is part of our continued efforts to expand access to early detection services.

Source: GADM

Exciting update is coming soon

Stay tuned – an exciting update is coming your way very soon!

Local community health workers

We train LCHWs in all districts to provide health education, basic care, and support services. They connect people to healthcare, raise awareness about the HPW virus—a sexually transmitted infection—and emphasize the importance of early cancer detection. LCHWs encourage women to get screened and promote overall community well-being. As trusted members of their communities, they build strong relationships and play a vital role in reducing health barriers. Several thousand LCHWs are trained before cervical and breast cancer screening begins in each district.

Nurses and midwifes

Empowering Frontline Health Workers through Task-Shifting

In many low-resource settings, access to specialized healthcare professionals remains limited. To address this challenge and improve early detection of cancer among women, we are implementing a strategic approach known as task-shifting—a model that reallocates specific clinical responsibilities from doctors to trained nurses and midwives.

Through targeted training programs, nurses and midwives are equipped to perform clinical breast examinations and screen for precancerous lesions, significantly expanding the reach of preventive care. This approach not only enhances early detection but also strengthens the role of these frontline health workers within the healthcare system.

Importantly, all task-shifting initiatives are closely supervised and supported by medical doctors, ensuring clinical quality and safety. This collaborative model fosters continuous learning, builds capacity, and elevates the professional standing of nurses and midwives. By integrating them more deeply into cancer care pathways, we are not only optimizing health resources but also reinforcing a more equitable and resilient healthcare workforce.

Task-shifting is more than a practical solution—it’s a commitment to inclusive, sustainable healthcare that recognizes and empowers the vital contributions of nurses and midwives in advancing women’s health.

In the districts we serve, nurses and midwives take on more than clinical roles, they often act as patient navigators, helping individuals overcome barriers to care. They guide patients through screening, diagnosis, and treatment, coordinate referrals, and ensure follow-up. They also provide emotional support, connect patients to financial or social assistance, and visit homes when needed. Through this work, they build trust and bring essential healthcare closer to the people who need it most.

Key Insights from Our Work in Rwanda

Since 2022, our work across districts in Rwanda has shown that,

Impact relies on a strong network of local health actors. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are vital for mobilization.
Local screening services improve access and outcomes.
Patient navigators are essential. They ensure follow-up and link patients from screening to treatment.
Dedicated data managers are vital among many things to support accurate tracking.
Nurse and gynecologist trainers strengthen local capacity.
Comprehensive care that addresses both nutrition and mental health to support full recovery is significant.

Since start 2022