WHO Calls For Urgent Funding Surge To Save Children From Cancer
United Nations, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - September 23, 2026)
More children and young people are beating cancer, but progress remains uneven across regions and age groups, highlighting the need for increased investment to boost survival rates. That’s according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), which released complete country comparable baseline data on five-year survival estimates for lymphoid leukaemia—a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
Key Findings:
- Global Disparities: While high-income countries achieve survival rates of 80% to 90%, countries with weaker health systems see rates around 40%. In Pakistan, the current childhood cancer survival rate is estimated at 30% or lower.
- Adolescent Gap: Adolescents aged 15-19 face a wider survival gap than younger children, most pronounced in low and middle-income countries.
- Barriers for Adolescents: Delays in diagnosis, gaps between pediatric and adult services, and limited evidence on adolescent cancer care are some of the challenges.
- Call to Action: WHO emphasizes that strategic investments in infrastructure, training, and equitable service delivery can improve survival rates significantly.
Background:
WHO’s Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC), established in 2018, published "Measuring Survival, Driving Change" report in May, using this new data to track global commitments to achieve at least a 60% overall childhood cancer survival rate by the end of the decade.