North-South twinning in paediatric haemato-oncology: the La Mascota programme, Nicaragua

We describe the La Mascota twinning programme between La Mascota paediatric hospital in Managua, Nicaragua, and hospitals in Monza and Milan, Italy, a nd Bellinzona, Switzerland, The programme was based on the belief that an a ttempt to reduce the gap in mortality from cancer in childhood between deve loped and less developed countries should become an integral part of the ca re and research activity of a haemato-oncological department of a developed country and not simply an exercise in solidarity. This programme for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia shows that intellectual, organisational, and finan cial resources can be generated by a twinning programme, What is vital for such programmes is a long-term commitment to a comprehensive and holistic s trategy that incorporates supply of drugs, training and supervision of heal th professionals, and the care of the children and of their parents.