Does aid reach the poor? Experiences of a childhood leukaemia outreach-programme

Previously, we found that the access to donated chemotherapy for childhood leukaemia patients in Indonesia was limited: only 16% of eligible families received donations. After the introduction of a structured parental education programme, we examined the access of parents of children with leukaemia to donated chemotherapy in an Indonesian academic hospital. The programme consisted of a video-presentation in hospital, information-booklet, audiocassette, DVD, procedures for informed-consent, statement of understanding for donated chemotherapy and a complaints-mechanism. Of 72 new patients, 51 parents (71%) were interviewed by independent psychologists using questionnaires. Parents of 21 patients (29%) did not participate because their children dropped-out (n = 10) or died (n = 11) before an interview took place. Four patients had health insurance and did not need donated chemotherapy. Access to donated chemotherapy was improved: 46/47 patients (98%) received donations. Structured parental education improved the access to donated chemotherapy. Outreach-programmes may benefit from this approach. This may enable more patients from poor socio-economic backgrounds in the developing countries to receive aid and achieve cure.