To parachute or not

Abstract

This editorial was prompted by a criticism of our inability to identify all existing local oncologic human resources prior to the initiation of a women's cancer care platform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We discuss the act of parachuting, i.e., intermittent visits by investigators from high-income countries to low-and middle-income countries, its dichotomization (positive and negative), role in bilateral collaborations between high-income and low-and middle-income countries, contributing etiologies and potential harms. Lastly, we highlight our use of parachuting to successfully transfer breast and cervical cancer diagnostic and surgical skills to healthcare providers in a low-income African nation, while simultaneously building clinical infrastructure for women's cancers. We conclude with recommendations that pertain to the development of better research ecosystems in Africa.

Keywords: Democratic Republic of the Congo; breast cancer; cervical cancer; high-income country; low-and middle-income country; noncommunicable diseases; parachuting; resource-constrained settings.