The University of Health and Allied Sciences of Ghana (UHAS) and its partners have evolved a new post graduate certificate programme to advance nurse leadership in Oncology (Cancer care delivery).
The partners, City Cancer Challenge Foundation (C/Can), the International Society of Nurses in Cancer (ISNCC) and Amgen, a pharmaceutical company, Monday launched the new Oncology Nurse Leadership Programme (ONLEP) in Africa at the UHAS main Campus, Sokode-Lokoe.
Co-developed by the partners, a first of a kind in Africa, seeks to address the gap of inadequate investment in healthcare professionals delivering cancer care – specifically oncology nurses – not only in C/Can cities but across the African continent.
The training of nurses in oncology has not yet received much attention, most specifically in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs), although the traditional role of nurses in healthcare delivery is well documented with positive impacts.
To maintain and increase quality cancer care in Africa, training programmes in oncology nursing and leadership to advance the capacity of local healthcare professionals as well as strengthen leadership mindsets, is a necessary investment for the future of quality cancer care on the continent.
Professor Lydia Aziato, Project Lead and Vice-Chancellor, UHAS said “UHAS is poised to lead this partnership and aims to be the hub for leadership training for nurses and midwives and other health professionals in Africa and beyond. The Oncology Nurse Leadership Programme is a catalyst to this dream.”
C/Can and partners hope to apply a transformational learning approach, aimed at equipping nurses with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead effectively in the dynamic and challenging field of oncology nursing and take up leadership roles.
Martha L. Ordóñez, Global Programme Manager of C/Can said “At City Cancer Challenge, we believe in strong local leadership. The ONLEP Programme is a testament to our commitment to investing in the people at the heart of health systems: nurses. By empowering oncology nurses with the tools to lead, advocate, and innovate, we are not only strengthening cancer care in C/Can cities but across the African continent. Together with our partners, we empower local professionals to lead change – this is how and where sustainable impact, access, and quality cancer care begins.”

“Amgen is pleased to support healthcare educational initiatives across the locations where we work, and most recently with our Access to Healthcare team – which is focused on low-resource settings where we do not have a presence– we are working with collaborators to continue our commitment to quality learning opportunities. Supporting oncology nurses across the sub-Saharan Africa region not only improves their skills and competencies; it also will lead to better healthcare delivery and in the medium-term, better health outcomes as well. We are incredibly pleased to partner with UHAS, C/Can and ISNCC on this key initiative,” Sean Lybrand, Executive Director, Access to Healthcare, Amgen Inc.
ONLEP is a five-year programme, which seeks to foster leadership development skills, promote clinical excellence, support professional growth, facilitate networking and collaboration, encourage research and evidence-based practice, and nurture advocacy skills, to impact on cancer care delivery and patient outcomes.
It is estimated that each of the students on the certificate programme will spend six months with a two-week face-to-face session at the beginning and one week in the final week of the programme leading up to their graduation. The remaining weeks between these two periods will be used for online sessions.
“Translating ISNCC mission ‘to maximise the influence of nursing to reduce the global burden of cancer’ requires concrete initiatives. The ONLEP in Africa is precisely that action. It strategically builds the capacity of nurses to lead, advocate, and implement solutions that directly impact cancer prevention, treatment, survivorship, and palliative care outcomes across diverse settings” Prof. Winnie So, ISNCC President disclosed.
Thirty students from seven countries are benefiting from the first face-to face training week are Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, and Gambia with the session involving lectures, group discussions, student-led presentations, and role plays, which began from the June 29th to July 12th, 2025.
The six modules of the programme Foundations of Oncology Nurse Leadership Development, Health Services Organization, Financial Management and Quality Assurance, Psycho-oncology, Stress and Change Management, Networking and Collaboration, Research and Evidence-based Practice and Policy and Advocacy will be discussed.
Ejiaku Tochukwu Chiamaka, Cohort 1 Lead, Abuja, Nigeria said “This programme is more than just a learning experience, it’s a bridge connecting nurses from diverse backgrounds and countries, empowering us to share our stories and learn from each other.”