ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has signed an agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide free cancer medication to thousands of children annually in the South Asian country, Pakistani state media reported on Tuesday.
The agreement marks Pakistan’s inclusion in the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines (GCCM), a WHO-led initiative to expand access to life-saving cancer treatments for children in low- and middle-income countries.
Pakistan Health Minister Mustafa Kamal announced that under this agreement, Pakistan will receive essential cancer medicines every year, benefitting approximately 8,000 children who are diagnosed with cancer annually in the country.
“The goal is simple but profound to save lives,” Kamal said. “Currently, the survival rate for children with cancer in our region stands at just 30 percent. Through this agreement, we aim to increase that to 60 percent by ensuring timely access to quality treatment.”
Around 8,000 new pediatric cases are reported each year but less than half receive timely diagnosis or treatment due to limited access to pediatric oncology centers, according to the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH).
