Egypt has made remarkable achievements in treating childhood cancer and offering better health services over the recent years, Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said.
The minister’s remarks came on Friday at a session on childhood cancer on the sidelines of the proceedings of the high-level segment of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The Minister extended thanks to Slovakia and all countries and partners working on treating childhood cancer worldwide.
Egypt has taken positive steps to save the lives of children, the minister said, citing the launch of several medical campaigns and health initiatives to fight diseases.
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 LMICs less than 30% are cured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Each year, an estimated 400 000 children and adolescents of 0-19 years old develop cancer.
The most common types of childhood cancers include leukemias, brain cancers, lymphomas and solid tumours, such as neuroblastoma and Wilms tumours.
In high-income countries, where comprehensive services are generally accessible, more than 80% of children with cancer are cured. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), less than 30% are cured.
Source: State Information Service Egypt