St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Childhood cancer survival rates have dramatically improved in high-income countries over the past 50 years, yet children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to face disparities. More than 80% of the world’s 400,000 annual childhood cancer cases occur in LMICs, where access to essential medicines remains a critical challenge.
The Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines is designed to address these inequities and aims to enable treatment for 120,000 children in the next 5-7 years.
This initiative is a partnership between St. Jude and World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Strategic Fund, to co-design a systemic approach with governments, the pharmaceutical industry, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Through the Global Platform, global, regional, and country cross-functional teams are co-building solutions to systemic barriers to childhood cancer medicines access – availability, affordability, accessibility, and quality – ensuring that no child is left behind.
Each of the participating countries faces unique hurdles, from supply chain fragmentation and regulatory complexities to financial constraints and inconsistent medicine quality. Global Platform teams work closely with local stakeholders to tailor strategies that strengthen systems, build capacity, and establish sustainable supply chains. Lessons learned from the first six pilot countries have informed the onboarding of additional pilot countries, including El Salvador, Ghana, Moldova, Pakistan, Senegal, and Sri Lanka.
Through technical assistance, training, and readiness assessments, the Global Platform empowers countries. Quarterly reporting and continuous improvement ensure that evolving needs are met, and best practices are shared across the network. Early successes in countries such as Ecuador, Nepal, and Zambia demonstrate the impact of collaborative, context-specific approaches.
The Global Platform is not only improving access to childhood cancer medicines but also setting a precedent for international cooperation in pediatric oncology. As we expand our reach, we invite the global health community to join us in advancing equitable childhood cancer care.
Learn more about our work and how collaboration is driving progress.”
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