Patient associations as knowledge intermediaries in breast cancer governance in Mali: a prospective qualitative analysis

BackgroundBreast cancer is an increasing public health concern in many low- and middle-income countries, yet prevention and care decisions do not consistently rely on evidence. In Mali, patient associations are increasingly visible in cancer advocacy, but their potential role in mediating research and experiential knowledge within decision-making remains poorly understood. This study adopts a systemic perspective on knowledge transfer to examine the conditions under which a patient association-led knowledge intermediation mechanism could plausibly emerge and be embedded within breast cancer governance. MethodsWe conducted a qualitative pre-implementation study based on 29 semi-structured int