The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations’ global health security agency, has announced that it will provide free cancer medication to children in low- and middle-income countries. This program officially started today, Tuesday.
In a statement from WHO’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, it was mentioned that shipments of cancer medication for children in Mongolia and Uzbekistan began today. Following this, similar shipments will be sent to Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia.
Hospitals in these six countries collectively treat approximately 5,000 children with cancer. All of them will receive the medication free of charge.
“The six countries selected for the pilot phase will continue to receive a steady supply of high-quality, internationally recognized medicines. Soon, more countries will be added to this list,” WHO stated in its announcement on Tuesday.
Globally, children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries lag significantly behind those in high-income nations in terms of treatment access. In these countries, the survival rate for children with cancer is below 30%, whereas in developed nations, it is nearly 80%.
According to WHO estimates, at least 400,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer each year. However, due to the high cost of medication and lack of necessary treatment, 70% of these children do not survive.
WHO’s statement further mentioned that the program aims to expand to 50 countries within the next 5 to 7 years. If successful, approximately 120,000 children worldwide will receive free cancer medication.