A: Hey, Yumi! You heard about the news? 🗞️
B: Nope, what's up? 🤔

A: The WHO just launched a platform giving free cancer meds to thousands of kids in less wealthy countries. ☹️
B: Wow, that's sad but good they're helping! Where are the medicines going first? 🌐

A: They started with Mongolia and Uzbekistan, then Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia. The project is testing in these six countries for now. 🌍
B: And how many kids do you think will get help this year? 💊

A: They're aiming to reach around 5,000 children with cancer across at least 30 hospitals. The WHO says survival rates in these countries are usually below 30%. 😱
B: That's terrible! I hope it works out and many kids get the treatment they need. 🙏

A: The WHO director said it's been too long for children with cancer to lack access to life-saving medicines. They want to bring health and hope to kids everywhere. 🤗
B: That's so true, I hope El Salvador, Moldova, Senegal, Ghana, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka join soon! The platform wants to reach 50 countries in the next few years. 🌟

A: The agency says about 400,000 kids worldwide develop cancer every year, most living with limited resources. They say 70% of those children die due to low-quality meds, wrong treatments, or lack of supplies. 😢
B: I can't imagine how hard it is for them... It's amazing the WHO and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee are working together on this! 🤝

A: Yeah, they announced the plan in December 2021, and the U.S. non-profit treatment organization gave $200 million for its launch. The WHO calls it the largest ever financial commitment to childhood cancer meds. 💰
B: That's incredible! I hope it continues beyond the pilot phase and becomes a global movement. 🌏

A: They're working on developing sustainability, or the ability to continue providing the service over the long term. Andre Ilbawi from the WHO's cancer control program said they want to bring more partners on board. 🤝
B: I really hope so! More attention is being paid to childhood cancer in wealthier countries too... it's a leading cause of death for middle- and high-income countries, so governments are taking note. 🌈

A: Definitely, Robin Millard reported on this story for Agence France-Presse, and John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. 🗞️
B: Thanks for sharing the news, let's keep our fingers crossed for all those kids! 🙏💖
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new service, or platform, to provide free cancer medicines to thousands of children in less wealthy nations.

The WHO defines these as low- and middle-income countries. The first medicines were to be provided to Mongolia and Uzbekistan. The next shipments would go to Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal and Zambia, as part of the project's testing, or pilot period, the WHO said.

The drug treatments are expected to reach around 5,000 children with cancer this year across at least 30 hospitals in the six countries.

"Countries in the pilot phase will receive an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines at no cost," the U.N. health agency said in a statement.

The WHO said childhood cancer survival rates in low- and middle-income countries were often below 30 percent. That compares to survival rates of around 80 percent in wealthy nations.

The agency’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in a statement, "For too long, children with cancer have lacked access to life-saving medicines." He added that the new platform aims to bring "health and hope to children around the world."

FILE - The World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters is seen in Geneva, Switzerland, January 28, 2025. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

El Salvador, Moldova, Senegal, Ghana, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are expected to join the program very soon. The platform hopes to reach 50 countries in the next five to seven years, providing medicines for up to 120,000 children.

The WHO estimates about 400,000 children worldwide develop cancer every year. Most of the children live in places with limited resources.

The agency says about 70 percent of children in those settings die for several reasons. These include the use of low-quality medicines, an inability to get correct treatments, or problems with the supply of treatments.

The plan to establish the platform was first announced in December 2021. It is a cooperative deal between the WHO and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in the United States. The U.S. non-profit treatment and research organization provided $200 million for its launch, the WHO said.

The WHO called the financial commitment the largest ever made for childhood cancer medicines worldwide. It added that the cost-free service would continue beyond the pilot phase. The platform is working on developing its sustainability – or ability to continue to provide the service - over the longer term.

Andre Ilbawi is with the WHO's cancer control program. He told reporters the program seeks to widen the platform and bring additional partners on board. "This marks the beginning of a global movement to provide children with cancer the medicines that they need, regardless of where they live, or their ability to pay," Ilbawi said.

He added that the issue of children with cancer was getting more attention in wealthier countries. "Childhood cancer is increasingly a leading cause of death for middle- and high-income countries…so governments are increasingly paying attention," Ilbawi said.

I’m John Russell.

Robin Millard reported on this story for Agence France-Presse. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

uninterrupted – adj. not stopped or blocked

assured – adj. sure that something is true; guaranteed

access – n. the ability to use or see something

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