WHO/Europe has launched a technical mission to Uzbekistan aimed at improving diagnosis, treatment and survival rates for children with cancer.
The mission, conducted in collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the US, will support policies designed to speed up diagnosis and strengthen access to treatment for childhood cancer.
It builds on Uzbekistan’s work implementing the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer and its participation in the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, with support from the Islamic Development Bank.
WHO/Europe said childhood cancer differs significantly from adult cancer, with many paediatric cancers closely linked to genetic factors rather than lifestyle or environmental risks such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption or unhealthy diets.
Because childhood cancers often arise from rapid cell growth during development, they usually cannot be prevented.
However, WHO/Europe said many can be treated and cured if they are diagnosed early and managed properly.
When comprehensive medical services are available, more than 80 per cent of children with cancer can be cured. In many countries across the WHO European Region, however, survival rates remain much lower.
Dr Gundo Weiler, director for prevention and health promotion at WHO/Europe, said: “The WHO European Region has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating childhood cancer, but health inequalities still persist, and those inequalities can lead to children’s deaths and broken families.
“Where a child lives, how quickly they are diagnosed and whether essential medicines and specialised care are available can determine whether that child survives.
“In countries with strong health systems, survival rates exceed 80 per cent. In settings with limited access, survival can fall below 30 per cent.
“For the safety of our children, we must strive for the highest possible survival rate everywhere.”
The mission will focus on strengthening childhood cancer care systems at scale, including improving diagnostic pathways to specialist services, ensuring uninterrupted access to quality-assured medicines and expanding professional training for health workers.
WHO/Europe said delays in diagnosis can allow fast-growing cancers to progress to advanced stages, reducing survival chances and increasing the intensity of treatment required.
The mission, organised with the WHO Country Office in Uzbekistan, will bring together policymakers, clinicians and international partners to translate global commitments into national action.
Key objectives include supporting national leadership and policy alignment on childhood cancer control, strengthening treatment standards and access to essential medicines, and advancing training in paediatric haematology, oncology and palliative care.
It will also aim to align partner-funded investments, including support from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Islamic Development Bank, to ensure sustainability and scale-up.
The work supports the goal of the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer to raise global childhood cancer survival to at least 60 per cent, while reducing suffering and improving quality of life.
That goal was formally recognised as a public health priority in the political declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2025.
WHO/Europe said childhood cancer can be cured, and that survival should not depend on geography, income or chance.