Childhood Cancer: 400,000 children diagnosed annually – WHO

…Warns of Inequalities in Survival Rates

By Chioma Obinna

As the world marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that no fewer than 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer globally every year — the equivalent of three children every four minutes.

WHO noted a stark disparity in survival outcomes, with over 80 percent of children in high-income countries surviving childhood cancer, compared to only one in five in low- and middle-income countries. The organisation described this as “one of the most significant inequalities across cancer types.”

Speaking at a national childhood cancer stakeholder workshop in Egypt, survivors shared moving testimonies about their journeys. One survivor told participants: “Cancer tried to break me, but the support of my doctors, my family, and my friends gave me strength. Today, I live to tell my story.” Another said: “The bonds I formed with other children battling cancer gave me hope on the darkest days.”

The workshop, inaugurated by Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, brought together experts and survivors who called for urgent action to close the survival gap.

In 2018, WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) with a target of increasing global survival rates to at least 60 percent by 2030. Despite challenges such as conflicts and weak health systems, progress is being recorded in several countries under the WHO-backed CureAll Framework.

Eight nations — including Pakistan, Morocco, Syria, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt — have committed to prioritising childhood cancer care by developing national protocols for early diagnosis, standardised treatment, and financial protection for families. Morocco recently hosted the first regional workshop on paediatric palliative care, while Lebanon established a Paediatric Cancer Committee involving survivors, nurses, social workers, 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, effective, and safe medicines remains a major 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 region to join in 2023, while Pakistan joined in 2024.

“The Global Platform is a game-changer. It ensures that lifesaving medicines reach children who need them most, regardless of borders or economies,” Balkhy added.

As September continues to raise awareness on childhood cancer, WHO 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,” WHO stressed.

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