The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a groundbreaking initiative to provide free cancer medicines to thousands of children in low- and middle-income countries, aiming to bridge the survival gap between these regions and wealthier nations.

The first shipments of essential treatments have already reached Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with additional deliveries planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia as part of the program’s pilot phase. This year, an estimated 5,000 children across at least 30 hospitals in these six countries will receive life-saving medications.

“Countries in the pilot phase will receive an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines at no cost,” WHO confirmed in a statement.

Currently, childhood cancer survival rates in lower-income countries hover below 30%, compared to approximately 80% in wealthier nations. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the urgent need for this initiative, stating, “For too long, children with cancer have lacked access to life-saving medicines.”

The platform is expected to expand to 50 countries over the next five to seven years, with a goal of reaching around 120,000 children. An estimated 400,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer annually, with the majority in resource-limited settings where 70% succumb to the disease due to inadequate treatment and disruptions in care.

This initiative is a collaboration between WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, which has committed $200 million to its launch. The program will continue beyond the pilot phase, with a long-term focus on sustainability to ensure ongoing access to essential medicines.

First announced in December 2021, the project represents a significant step toward reducing global health disparities and improving survival rates for children battling cancer in undeserved region.