The Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE) has launched the Access to Care initiative, a new programme aimed at improving access to interventional radiology (IR) treatments and training across sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern and Southeastern Europe.
Made possible through the Gehrig-Pereira Grant, a private donation dedicated to advancing independent medical education in the field of IR, the programme will include targeted regional activities and long-term investment in local expertise. Access to Care seeks to ensure that more patients can benefit from minimally invasive image-guided therapies, regardless of where they live.
“IR cannot be a luxury commodity; it is a life-saving necessity,” said Philippe L Pereira (SLK-Kliniken, Stuttgart, Germany), CIRSE president. “Through this grant, we aim to empower local expertise and ensure sustainable access to IR care for patients who need it most.”
In line with CIRSE’s mission to improve patient care through the support of teaching, science, research, and clinical practice in the field of IR, the initiative will be conducted alongside existing collaboration projects with CIRSE national group member societies and other partners and initiatives in the regions.
The specific project outlines for the two target regions were developed by two dedicated expert task forces on sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern and Southeastern Europe. During two intensive workshops at the CIRSE office in Vienna in 2025, the task forces conducted a gap analysis and needs assessment and developed programme frameworks to address the challenges and opportunities for their respective regions.
“The workshop was an inspiring opportunity to collaborate with colleagues who share a strong commitment to improving access to IR care globally,” said Greicy Heymann (Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland), member of the Africa taskforce. “Through constructive discussions and analysis, we were able to identify priorities and help shape practical programme outlines adapted to real needs.”
For the African-focused programme, the establishment and support of local training hubs across the region is a central pillar of the initiative. CIRSE will be collaborating with four public academic teaching hospitals to lay the foundation for a network of regional IR training centres with structured IR training programmes. CIRSE will support visiting faculty as well as scholarships for the programmes in each hub.
“IR in African countries has a high clinical demand, and there are committed professionals there working to meet this demand. By investing in local training hubs and infrastructure, this expertise can be strengthened and sustained,” said Vincent Vidal (Timone Hospital, Marseille, France) member of the Africa Task Force.
The European programme focuses on Eastern and Southeastern Europe and seeks to strengthen education, support professional development, and raise awareness for IR among patients, referrers, and future physicians.
Planned activities include an assessment of the current IR service provision landscape, one-time kick-start grants for attendance of a European School of Interventional Radiology (ESIR) course in Maribor, Slovenia, dedicated summer and winter schools for medical students and radiology trainees, fellowship grants at expert centres, and videos to enhance public awareness of minimally invasive treatment options and referrals.
“Europe has a strong foundation in IR, but there are disparities between regions in terms of service provision, training, and visibility,” noted Christoph Binkert (Medizinisch Radiologisches Institut, Zürich, Switzerland), chairperson of the Europe Task Force. “A coordinated approach across centres, national societies, and other stakeholders will be essential to address these differences. A major focus will be placed on the education and training of young interventional radiologists as well.”
While the Gehrig-Pereira Grant will allow the development of a sustainable programme in several countries in the coming years, CIRSE states that it is actively engaging with industry partners and other stakeholders to expand the programme’s reach and maximise its long-term impact. CIRSE envisions Access to Care evolving over the coming years, supporting additional countries, and helping improve access to medical technologies and minimally invasive therapies where they are needed most.
