The Pakistan Society of Paediatric Oncology estimates that nearly 10,000 children are diagnosed with cancer annually in Pakistan, but fewer than half receive proper treatment. The country currently has only eight paediatric oncology departments and limited cancer registry systems.
According to the World Health Organisation, around 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer globally each year. While survival rates exceed 80 percent in high-income countries, they fall below 30 percent in many low- and middle-income nations, including Pakistan.
Experts warn that treatment abandonment, poverty, limited healthcare facilities and lack of awareness continue to hinder survival rates. In July 2025, Pakistan joined the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, a joint initiative of the World Health Organisation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, aimed at improving access to essential cancer drugs and increasing survival rates to 60 percent by 2030.
Medical professionals stress that childhood cancer is curable if detected early and treated consistently. However, thousands of children still fail to reach specialised centres in time.
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