From Equity to Efficiency: How Cure2Children Reconciles Access, Quality and Sustainability in Healthcare

Healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries often face a difficult challenge: how to expand access to care while maintaining quality and controlling costs. Cure2Children Foundation has demonstrated that equity, efficiency, and quality can be achieved together through a model based on capacity building, knowledge sharing, and long-term partnerships.

For more than twenty years, Cure2Children has worked to improve access to curative therapies for children with severe blood disorders and cancer. Rather than transferring patients abroad for treatment, the Foundation focuses on strengthening local healthcare systems, enabling children to receive advanced care close to home.

Central to this approach is the development of local expertise. Through training, telemedicine, mentoring, quality management, and clinical research (see scientific production), Cure2Children supports hospitals in becoming self-sustaining centers of excellence. This strategy improves access while creating lasting benefits for healthcare systems and communities.

The model has been particularly successful in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for diseases such as thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and aplastic anemia. By simplifying protocols, standardizing procedures, and providing continuous specialist support, Cure2Children and its partners have shown that high-quality transplantation can be delivered safely and affordably in resource-limited settings.

Efficiency is achieved by reducing unnecessary complexity and maximizing the use of local resources. Telemedicine connects healthcare teams with international experts, reducing delays and avoiding costly patient transfers. Digital tools support quality assurance, outcome monitoring, and continuous improvement, while structured training programs strengthen professional skills and workforce retention.