Godsent Ogbebor
WHO Launches Free Cancer Drug Program for Children in Low-Income Countries
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an initiative to provide free cancer medications to thousands of children in low- and middle-income countries, aiming to bridge the survival gap between wealthy and poorer nations.
As part of the pilot phase, the first shipments of these life-saving drugs have already been delivered to Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with further deliveries planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia.
The program is expected to reach approximately 5,000 children in at least 30 hospitals across these six nations in 2025.
“Countries in the pilot phase will receive an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines at no cost,” the WHO stated.
The initiative comes in response to stark disparities in childhood cancer survival rates, which hover below 30% in many low-income nations compared to 80% in wealthier countries.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the urgent need for action, stating, “For too long, children with cancer have lacked access to life-saving medicines.”
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In addition to the six pilot countries, six more have been invited to join, with the long-term goal of expanding the initiative to 50 countries within five to seven years, ultimately benefiting around 120,000 children.
Globally, an estimated 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, with the majority living in resource-limited settings.
WHO reports that 70% of these children die due to factors such as lack of treatment, disruptions in care, and low-quality medications.
The initiative, first announced in 2021, is a collaboration between the WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States, which has committed $200 million to fund the program’s launch and ensure its sustainability beyond the pilot phase.
