Childhood cancer care must focus on how survivors live, not just survival - Nalinda

Colombo, May 20 (Daily Mirror) - “The true measure of success in childhood cancer is not only how many children survive, but how they live,” Sri Lankan Health and Mass Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said while addressing a special session on childhood cancer care held on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Global health leaders meeting in Geneva have pledged to raise the survival rate of children with cancer to at least 60 percent by 2030 under the World Health Organization’s Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.

Speaking at the session titled “Measuring survival, driving change – Advancing equity through the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer,” Dr. Jayatissa stressed that children who survive cancer must be given the opportunity to live healthy, dignified and productive lives.

He said many survivors continue to face long-term physical, mental and social challenges, including heart-related complications, endocrine disorders, learning difficulties, mental health issues, reproductive health concerns and social and economic risks.

Dr. Jayatissa said Sri Lanka remained committed to working with the World Health Organization, international partners, health professionals and survivor communities to strengthen lifelong care for children who survive cancer.

He said Sri Lanka’s free public health system provided a strong foundation for equitable access to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, follow-up care and psychosocial support.

The minister also stressed that care for childhood cancer survivors should continue beyond hospitals through primary healthcare services, schools, families and communities.

Sri Lanka is strengthening organised follow-up services through paediatric cancer treatment centres and hospitals to ensure continuous care from childhood into adulthood, he said.

Dr. Jayatissa added that Medical Officer of Health services, public health nursing, maternal and child health programmes and newly introduced Arogya Suwatha centres would play a key role in community-based follow-up care.

The WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, launched in 2018, is currently active in 87 countries, with 50 countries already including childhood cancer control in their national health strategies.