National Cancer Coalition

Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesus Rivera The National Cancer Coalition has supported numerous pharmaceutical donation projects at the primary children's hospital in Nicaragua - Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesus Rivera, providing life saving chemotherapies for patients with scarce resources.
The Need Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. It has experienced numerous earthquakes, hurricanes, and conflicts during the last 30 years. Resources have been limited to rebuild most of the structures that were destroyed during this period. Nicaragua has a very large unemployed and underemployed population and more than 50 percent of the population lives in poverty. The government, through its Ministry of Health, is the leading provider of health services to the population. However, a large percentage of assistance must be provided via humanitarian organizations.
Hospital The Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesus Rivera is the primary pediatric hospital in Nicaragua and treats most of its country's young cancer patients. It currently has 32 beds in the Oncology/ Hematology unit and 100 physicians to treat approximately 1,500 cancer patients per year. Patients range from newborns to 16 years old. This hospital never refuses assistance to its young cancer patients, but at times does not have the resources to provide the required chemotherapies.

Distribution Based on the needs request of Hospital Infantil, NCC secured and distributed large quantities of cancer therapies to this pediatric hospital. The medical products were officially handed-over at a ceremony attended by Minister of Health Alvarado and U.S. Ambassador Moore.
Result The National Cancer Coalition's donation will continue to fulfill specific chemotherapy needs at the Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesus Rivera for a 12 to 18 month period. Because of the NCC's efforts, young cancer patients in Nicaragua now have access to pharmaceuticals crucial in the treatment of leukemia and solid cancerous tumors.