Deal signed with WHO to provide free cancer medicines to children

ISLAMABAD: In a major breakthrough for paediatric healthcare in the country, the federal health ministry on Tuesday signed a landmark agreement with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide free cancer medicines to children, marking its formal inclusion in the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines (GCCM). The initiative is expected to benefit nearly 8,000 children diagnosed with cancer annually in the country.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony in Islamabad, where Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal also unveiled the National Cholera Control Plan 2025-2028, pledging to reduce cholera-related mortality by 90 per cent by 2030. Speaking at the event, Kamal described the dual launch as “a turning point in Pakistan’s commitment to preventive and equitable healthcare”.

Under the agreement, WHO will provide technical and operational assistance, while Unicef will handle the procurement and delivery of essential childhood cancer medicines. The GCCM initiative aims to double the current regional survival rate of childhood cancer patients from 30 per cent to 60 per cent through access to timely and quality treatment.

The WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Dapeng Luo, reaffirmed the agency’s support, stating: “No child affected by cancer should die because of a lack of access to treatment… WHO will work side by side with Pakistan’s Ministry of Health to save lives and ensure no child is left behind.”

While celebrating the cancer medicine milestone, Kamal used the occasion to sound the alarm over the country’s fragile health system. He revealed alarming statistics: 11,000 women die annually due to pregnancy-related complications; 43 per cent of children suffer from malnutrition; and the birth rate of 3.6 continues to strain national resources.

Also launched at the event was the National Cholera Control Plan 2025-2028, jointly developed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Health and WHO. The plan targets a 90 per cent reduction in cholera deaths by 2030, in line with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) goals under the World Health Assembly Resolution WHA71.4.

“Healthcare begins with prevention in every neighbourhood,” Kamal noted, linking cholera outbreaks to climate-induced disasters such as the 2022 floods that resulted in more than 370,000 suspected cholera cases. “Cholera is not just a waterborne disease, it is a symptom of inequity and unpreparedness.” Dr Luo warned: “Climate change is increasing the risks of floods and other natural disasters that trigger cholera outbreaks. Without effective prevention, detection, and response, cholera will continue to threaten the most vulnerable.”