Sharing Insights from the IHE Cancer Dashboard for Costa Rica
Last week, IHE’s Andrea Manzano was in Costa Rica to present and discuss findings from the IHE Cancer Dashboard for Costa Rica, published in July 2026.
The dashboard provides a broad picture of cancer care in the country, highlighting both important progress and areas where further action is needed.
Among the key findings:
- Cancer represents a growing health challenge, accounting for more than one in five deaths in Costa Rica, with the burden expected to increase further as the population ages.
- Cancer survival is relatively favorable compared with several regional peers, although important inequalities remain within the country.
- Prevention and early detection are moving in a positive direction, including progress in HPV vaccination and the transition toward more organized cervical cancer screening. However, screening coverage remains insufficient and varies considerably across regions.
- Timely diagnosis remains a major challenge. Costa Rica has recently introduced optimal and maximum waiting-time standards for breast cancer diagnosis, an important step toward measuring and improving timeliness in practice.
- Access to innovative cancer medicines remains an area for improvement, alongside important recent reforms in health technology assessment and medicines management that could help strengthen future access.
During the visit, Andrea met with UNFPA, patient associations, representatives from the Ministry of Health and CCSS/CENDEISSS, including Vice Minister Dr. Juan Carlos Esquivel Sánchez, Dr. Mario Urcuyo Solórzano, Dr. Jorge Jiménez Brizuela, and Dr. Alejandro Calderón Céspedes.
She also presented the main findings at the Centro de Investigación en Cirugía y Cáncer (CICICA) at the University of Costa Rica, with special thanks to Dr. Rodrigo Mora Rodríguez for the invitation and valuable discussion.
These exchanges are an important part of IHE’s work: moving from evidence to dialogue, and from dialogue toward practical opportunities to strengthen cancer care.
We are very grateful for the warm welcome, thoughtful conversations and the kindness shown throughout the visit.
For more information please contact Andrea Manzano
