WHO Steps Up Support for Childhood Cancer Care in Pakistan
World Health Organization (WHO) Reaffirms Commitment to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - September 25, 2026)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed its unwavering commitment to supporting Pakistan in enhancing childhood cancer care. The organization emphasized the significance of early diagnosis and timely treatment, stating that these factors can significantly improve survival rates for children diagnosed with cancer annually in the country, which stands at over 8,000.
On the occasion of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, WHO highlighted that most childhood cancers are curable through prompt and appropriate treatments, including generic medicines, surgery, and radiotherapy.
Globally, approximately 400,000 children develop cancer yearly. While more than 80% of children with cancer in high-income countries achieve cure through comprehensive treatment services, survival rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remain dismally below 30%.
WHO attributed limited access to quality treatment and essential medicines as a primary factor contributing to these poor outcomes in LMICs. To address this issue, WHO is collaborating with Pakistan's Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination under the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines. This initiative aims to provide free, quality-assured childhood cancer medications.
Four Pakistani hospitals are currently preparing to receive these medicines by the end of 2026 or early 2027, in accordance with WHO's guidelines. Seven additional hospitals are expected to implement technical recommendations during 2027, further expanding access to these life-saving medicines. The ultimate goal is to ensure that all hospitals providing pediatric cancer treatment in Pakistan have access to free, quality-assured childhood cancer medications.
Pakistan became the second country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to join the Global Platform on July 29, 2025. This platform, co-founded by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and WHO in 2021, ensures a steady supply of certified childhood cancer medicines to LMICs. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the PAHO Strategic Fund will be responsible for procuring and distributing these medications to Pakistan.
The initiative aims to raise Pakistan's childhood cancer survival rate from around 30% to 60% by 2030, regardless of a child's socio-economic status. It will also provide technical guidance, resources, and operational assistance to strengthen the health system and enhance pediatric cancer services.
"Thanks to medical science, childhood cancer can be cured today. However, timely diagnosis and sustained treatment are crucial," said Dr. Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Pakistan.