The World Health Organisation (WHO) and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have launched the distribution of essential childhood cancer medicines in Mongolia and Uzbekistan as part of the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines. This initiative aims to provide free, quality-assured cancer treatments to children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The treatments will reach approximately 5000 children across 30 hospitals within these countries this year, with upcoming shipments planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia.

The Global Platform is the first of its kind and will eventually expand to 50 countries over the next 5 to 7 years. Its goal is to treat 120,000 children with cancer in LMICs, significantly reducing mortality rates, as childhood cancer survival rates in these countries are often below 30%, far lower than in high-income nations.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised the importance of the initiative, stating, "For too long, children with cancer have lacked access to life-saving medicines." St. Jude CEO Dr. James R. Downing added, "A child's chances of surviving cancer are largely determined by where they are born," highlighting the stark disparities in global healthcare.

Launched in 2021, the platform unites governments, the pharmaceutical industry, and NGOs to provide comprehensive support, from market shaping to medicine selection and treatment standards.

Source: World Health Organisation