Cancer is a leading cause of death for children and adolescents. The likelihood of surviving a diagnosis of childhood cancer depends on the country in which the child lives: in high-income countries, more than 80% of children with cancer are cured, but in many low- and middle-income countries, less than 30% are cured.
The reasons for lower survival rates in low- and middle-income countries include:
- delay in diagnosis
- an inability to obtain an accurate diagnosis
- inaccessible therapy
- abandonment of treatment
- death from toxicity (side effects)
- avoidable relapse.
Improving access to childhood cancer care, including to essential medicines and technologies, is highly cost-effective, and feasible and can improve survival in all settings.
2023 Is the third year of the three-year ICCD campaign (2021-2023) under the theme of ‘Better Survival’ is achievable #throughyourhands “Right care at the right time by the right team” is underway and with your support, we are going to celebrate this important milestone on 15th of February in collaboration with CCI.
The ICCD three-year campaign (2021- 2023) has been designed to align its messaging with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) #cureall campaign and branding, using the universal image of colourfully painted hands.
The three-year campaign for ICCD (2021-2023) is designed to align its messaging with the WHO #cureall strategy representing four pillars and three enablers.
The pillars are
- Centres of Excellence and Care Networks with a sufficient competent workforce
- Universal Health Coverage with benefits packages and organizational models for quality services
- Regimens for Management with context-appropriate guidance, essential technologies & medicines
- Evaluation and Monitoring with quality assurance and robust information systems
The enablers are
- Advocacy
- Leveraged Financing
- Linked Policies/Governance
The theme of International Childhood Cancer Day 2023 is #throughtheirhands, and the focus is on paying tribute to the families and caregivers and the positive impact they have on the lives of children and adolescents with cancer. The goal of the WHO Global Childhood Cancer Initiative is to eliminate all pain and suffering of children fighting cancer. It also aims to achieve at least 60% survival for all children diagnosed with cancer around the world by 2030.
The UN Rights of the Child states:
Children have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.
Every year, more than 400,000 children and adolescents below 20, are diagnosed with cancer. The rate of survival depends on the region, with 80% survival in most High-Income Countries but as low as 20% only in Low and Middle-Income Countries.
The Target Goal of the WHO Global Childhood Cancer Initiative is to eliminate all pain and suffering of children fighting cancer and achieve at least 60% survival for all children diagnosed with cancer around the world by 2030.
This represents an approximate doubling of the current cure rate and will save an additional one million children’s lives over the next decade.
