The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new initiative to provide free cancer medications to thousands of children in low- and middle-income countries, aiming to improve survival rates that currently lag behind those in wealthier nations.
As part of the project’s pilot phase, the first shipments of medicine have been delivered to Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with additional deliveries planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia. This year, the initiative is expected to benefit approximately 5,000 children across at least 30 hospitals in these six countries.
“Countries in the pilot phase will receive a continuous supply of high-quality childhood cancer medicines at no cost,” the UN health agency stated.
WHO highlighted the stark disparity in childhood cancer survival rates, which often fall below 30% in low- and middle-income nations compared to around 80% in high-income countries.
“For too long, children with cancer have struggled to access life-saving medicines,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The platform aims to expand to 50 countries within the next five to seven years, ultimately providing medications for about 120,000 children.
Each year, an estimated 400,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, the majority in resource-limited settings. WHO estimates that 70% of these children die due to barriers such as lack of proper treatment, disruptions in care, or low-quality medications.
The initiative’s cost-free provision will continue beyond the pilot phase, with efforts underway to ensure its long-term sustainability.
Originally announced in December 2021, the program is a collaboration between WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The non-profit pediatric research and treatment center has committed $200 million to support the initiative’s launch.