13 February 2025, Cairo, Egypt – As the world observes International Childhood Cancer Day (15 February), the World Health Organization (WHO) is highlighting the challenges faced by children with cancer in countries affected by conflict and emergencies.
In Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, the Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen and other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, children battling cancer face not only the harsh realities of their illness but the compounded struggles that arise from conflict, displacement and limited access to health care.
Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death among children globally. An estimated 400 000 new cases are diagnosed each year. While survival rates have improved dramatically in high-income countries, the situation remains dire for many children in low- and middle-income countries where access to diagnostic services, treatment and support services is often severely limited.
WHO is working with governments and other stakeholders to address these challenges but the situation remains critical in the Eastern Mediterranean Region where conflicts and ongoing refugee crises have left many children with cancer without access to the lifesaving treatments they need. Hospitals are overwhelmed, there is a shortage of