Cancer survival should not be pegged on where a child is born

Medical practitioners and residents of Uasin Gishu County march in the streets of Eldoret to mark World Cancer Day. [File, Standard]

Every year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that more than 400,000 children and adolescents worldwide are diagnosed with cancer. In high-income countries, more than 80 per cent of these children survive. However, in many low and middle-income countries, survival can fall below 30 per cent.

During the International Childhood Cancer Day held on February 15, the world paused to reflect on these numbers, not as statistics, but as reminders that childhood cancer is not only a medical issue but an equity issue.

The significant survival disparity between low-and high-income economies stems primarily from factors such as late diagnosis, limited access to specialised care, and the high cost of ongoing treatment. Families travel hundreds of kilometres to reach referral hospitals. Parents leave work to become full-time caregivers. Treatment lasts months or years and is sometimes interrupted when financing collapses mid-course.

Unlike many adult cancers, childhood cancers, which may include conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma, brain tumours, Wilms tumour and retinoblastoma, are rarely linked to lifestyle factors and are generally not detected through routine screening. They often develop rapidly, and can turn ordinary school days into hospital visits overnight.

Fortunately, childhood cancers have much higher cure rates than adult cancers when treated promptly. The secret to success lies in recognising warning signs quickly, acting on referrals immediately, and starting treatment without delay.

Similarly, strengthening primary healthcare workers’ ability to recognise early warning signs, reducing referral delays, decentralising diagnostics, ensuring sustainable medicine supply and protecting families from financial ruin, are crucial interventions needed to increase survival rates, particularly in low-income economies.

Although Kenya is in the midst of health financing reforms under the Social Health Authority framework, healthcare financing must translate into real-world access.

That means reliable availability of medicines, diagnostic capacity closer to counties, trained paediatric oncology teams, efficient referral systems and clear benefit pathways so families understand what is covered and how to access it without delay.

Government, healthcare providers, insurers, employers and communities should all work together to ensure that more childhoods continue uninterrupted. Parents and caregivers should trust their instincts and seek medical advice when symptoms persist or seem unusual.

Employers can support affected families through flexible leave policies and clear communication about medical benefits. Communities can support organisations that provide psychosocial care, accommodation assistance and advocacy for children in treatment.

Across Africa, we have seen survival rates improve where systems have been strengthened and access barriers reduced. Every child who has completed treatment, every bell which has rung at the end of chemotherapy, has served as evidence that this illness can be dealt with.

The question therefore, is not whether survival is possible. It is whether we are willing to remove the barriers that stand in the way. A child’s chance of surviving cancer should never depend on geography or income.

With informed communities, responsive health systems, and smart financing that protects families, Kenya can close the access to healthcare gap that has prevented many children from getting treatment.

Mr Mbonzo is a medical client service at First Assurance Company Ltd