Where the Gap Sits
The survival gap is not driven by disease biology — it is driven by access to diagnosis, treatment continuity, supportive care, and the ability of families to remain near care without financial collapse. Each of those barriers is addressable.
Programmes that have moved the needle pair clinical protocol adaptation with structural support for patient families and reliable supply chains for essential medicines.
The biggest predictor of paediatric cancer survival in many regions is whether a family can afford to stay close to the treatment centre long enough to complete the protocol.
Models That Work
Twinning programmes, regional centres of excellence, and adapted treatment protocols are delivering measurable survival gains. Scaling them requires long-term investment from national health systems and international partners alike.
