As the world observes Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that nearly 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year—equivalent to three children every four minutes.
WHO highlighted a troubling disparity in survival rates: while over 80% of children in high-income countries survive cancer, only about 20% in low- and middle-income nations live beyond the disease. The organisation described this as “one of the most significant inequalities across cancer types.”
The issue was underscored during a national childhood cancer stakeholder workshop in Egypt, where survivors shared their personal journeys.
One survivor reflected: “Cancer tried to break me, but the support of my doctors, family, and friends gave me strength. Today, I live to tell my story.” Another added: “The bonds I formed with other children battling cancer gave me hope on the darkest days.”
Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, alongside global experts, stressed the urgent need for governments to strengthen health systems and ensure access to timely diagnosis and treatment.
In 2018, WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC), aiming to raise global survival rates to at least 60% by 2030. Despite obstacles such as conflict, poverty, and fragile health systems, progress is being recorded under WHO’s CureAll Framework.
Several countries—including Pakistan, Morocco, Syria, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt—have taken steps to prioritise childhood cancer care by developing national protocols for early detection, standardized treatment, and family financial support. Morocco recently hosted the first regional workshop on paediatric palliative care, while Lebanon established a Paediatric Cancer Committee involving survivors, medical professionals, and WHO representatives.
“Children’s survival depends on resilient health systems that provide prompt and effective treatment,” said Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “No child should be denied a future simply because of where they are born.”
Access to affordable medicines remains a key challenge. To address this, the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines was launched in 2021 to pool procurement and reduce costs. Jordan became the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean region to join in 2023, followed by Pakistan in 2024.
“The Global Platform is a game-changer. It ensures lifesaving medicines reach children who need them most, regardless of borders or economies,” Balkhy added.
As WHO continues to raise awareness this September, it urged governments, civil society, and communities to intensify efforts to bridge the survival gap.
“Childhood cancer cannot always be prevented, but it can be cured if detected early and treated comprehensively. Every child deserves a chance to grow up healthy,” the organisation stressed.
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