Summary:
- WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital launch a global initiative to provide free cancer medicines to children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), starting with pilot programs in Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia.
- The program aims to address stark survival disparities: childhood cancer survival rates in LMICs are below 30% (vs. 80% in high-income nations) due to treatment gaps and poor medicine access.
- St. Jude commits $200 million to fund the initiative, targeting 120,000 children across 50 countries within 5–7 years, with plans to expand to El Salvador, Ghana, and others in 2025.
- The platform focuses on four pillars—availability, affordability, accessibility, and quality assurance—to ensure sustainable delivery of 35 essential cancer drugs to remote regions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have launched a groundbreaking initiative to deliver free cancer medicines to children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), aiming to address stark survival disparities in childhood cancer treatment. The first shipments of chemotherapy drugs arrived in Mongolia and Uzbekistan in February 2025, with plans to expand to Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia in the pilot phase. Approximately 5,000 children across 30 hospitals in these six countries are expected to receive life-saving treatments this year.
Survival Disparities and Program Goals
Childhood cancer survival rates in LMICs are often below 30%, compared to 80% in high-income nations, due to inconsistent access to quality medicines and treatment disruptions. The Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines—a joint effort by WHO, St. Jude, UNICEF, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)—aims to close this gap by providing uninterrupted supplies of 35 essential cancer drugs at no cost to participating countries. “For too long, children with cancer have lacked access to life-saving medicines,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The initiative targets 50 countries within five to seven years, with the goal of treating 120,000 children annually.
Funding and Long-Term Vision
St. Jude has committed $200 million to launch the platform, marking the largest financial pledge for global childhood cancer medicine access. The program builds on a partnership announced in 2021 and aligns with WHO’s Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, which seeks to raise survival rates to 60% by 2030. Six additional countries—El Salvador, Ghana, Moldova, Pakistan, Senegal, and Sri Lanka—are slated to join the platform in 2025.
Addressing Systemic Challenges
In Zambia, where childhood cancer survival rates hover near 10%, the initiative offers hope to families burdened by logistical and financial barriers. Dr. Justin Makasa Mulindwa, a Zambian pediatric oncologist, described the frustration of knowing treatments exist but lacking the tools to administer them. The platform addresses four pillars of access: availability, affordability, accessibility, and quality assurance, ensuring medicines meet international safety standards and reach remote regions.
Global Impact
An estimated 400,000 children develop cancer annually, with 70% in LMICs dying due to inadequate care. “A child’s chances of surviving cancer are largely determined by where they are born,” said St. Jude CEO Dr. James R. Downing. The initiative’s phased approach includes consolidating global demand, streamlining procurement, and strengthening national healthcare systems to ensure long-term sustainability.
The platform’s launch marks a critical step toward equity in pediatric cancer care, offering a model for addressing noncommunicable diseases in resource-limited settings worldwide.
