The education and training of the oncological health-care workforce is vital for building effective health-care systems that deliver optimal care to patients with cancer. In the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, there is a notable shortage of both physician and non-physician oncology professionals, including oncologists, medical physicists, radiotherapy technologists, and oncology nurses. This shortage is primarily caused by inadequate education and training programmes. Oncology professionals across SAARC countries face several challenges, including a scarcity of trained personnel, poor health-care infrastructure (including resources and equipment), and insufficient educational opportunities. This Series paper examines the current state of oncology education and training programmes within the SAARC region, identifies the challenges faced by oncology professionals, and offers recommendations for improvement. Short-term strategies focus on developing a skilled, multidisciplinary oncology workforce and enhancing existing training programmes. In the long term, the goals are to establish self-sufficient cancer care systems, promote regional collaboration, and strengthen research infrastructure. Achieving these objectives will require comprehensive approaches, increased financial resources, advanced cancer care infrastructure, and innovative educational models. Regional and international collaborations are essential to raise awareness of cancer as a major public health concern, advance prevention and early detection efforts, and bolster research initiatives.

中文翻译：

---

南亚区域合作联盟 （SAARC） 国家内的癌症教育和培训


肿瘤卫生保健人员的教育和培训对于建立有效的医疗保健系统至关重要，这些系统为癌症患者提供最佳护理。在南亚区域合作联盟 （SAARC） 国家，肿瘤内科医生和非内科医生肿瘤学专业人员都明显短缺，包括肿瘤学家、医学物理学家、放射治疗技术人员和肿瘤科护士。这种短缺主要是由于教育和培训计划不足造成的。南盟国家的肿瘤学专业人员面临多项挑战，包括缺乏训练有素的人员、医疗保健基础设施（包括资源和设备）落后以及教育机会不足。本系列论文研究了南盟地区肿瘤学教育和培训计划的现状，确定了肿瘤学专业人员面临的挑战，并提出了改进建议。短期战略侧重于培养熟练的多学科肿瘤学劳动力并加强现有的培训计划。从长远来看，目标是建立自给自足的癌症护理系统，促进区域合作，并加强研究基础设施。实现这些目标需要全面的方法、增加的财政资源、先进的癌症护理基础设施和创新的教育模式。区域和国际合作对于提高对癌症作为主要公共卫生问题的认识、推进预防和早期检测工作以及支持研究计划至关重要。