BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 METHOD:PUBLISH PRODID:-//Telerik Inc.//Sitefinity CMS 15.2//EN BEGIN:VEVENT DESCRIPTION:Childhood cancer differs from adult cancer &ndash\; and underst anding that difference saves lives. When comprehensive medical services ar e within reach\, more than 80% of children with cancer can be cured\, but in many countries of the WHO European Region the survival rate is much low er. To support policies for faster diagnosis and better treatment of child hood cancer in the European Region and beyond\, WHO/Europe\, in collaborat ion with St. Jude Children&rsquo\;s Research Hospital (United States of Am erica)\, is conducting a mission to Uzbekistan. The mission builds on Uzbe kistan&rsquo\;s leadership in implementing the WHO Global Initiative for C hildhood Cancer (GICC) and its participation in the Global Platform for Ac cess to Childhood Cancer Medicines\, with support from the Islamic Develop ment Bank.Childhood cancer: why is it different?Cancers in children are cl osely connected to genetic factors. This is different from many adult canc ers that are often directly associated with lifestyle or environmental ris k factors such as tobacco use\, alcohol consumption or unhealthy diets.Chi ldhood cancers often arise from rapid cell growth during development\, whi ch means they cannot be prevented &ndash\; but even when these cancers gro w quickly\, they can be effectively treated and cured if diagnosed early a nd managed properly.Rapid diagnosis and better treatment are key&ldquo\;Th e WHO European Region has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating childhood cancer\, but health inequalities still persist\, and those inequ alities can lead to children&rsquo\;s deaths and broken families\,&rdquo\; said Dr Gundo Weiler\, Director for Prevention and Health Promotion at WH O/Europe.&ldquo\;Where a child lives\, how quickly they are diagnosed and whether essential medicines and specialized care are available can determi ne whether that child survives. In countries with strong health systems\, survival rates exceed 80%. In settings with limited access\, survival can fall below 30%. For the safety of our children\, we must strive for the hi ghest possible survival rate everywhere.&rdquo\;Rapid diagnosis and treatm ent of childhood cancer with quality-assured medicines are critical. Delay s can allow fast-growing cancers to progress to advanced stages\, reducing chances of survival and increasing the intensity of treatment required. S trengthening diagnostic pathways to specialized services\, ensuring uninte rrupted access to life-saving medicines and expanding professional trainin g for health workers are among the most effective ways to improve outcomes .WHO/Europe mission to Uzbekistan: reducing inequalities through system ch angeThe WHO/Europe technical mission to Uzbekistan\, organized in collabor ation with the WHO Country Office in Uzbekistan\, aims to accelerate natio nal and regional progress by strengthening childhood cancer care systems a t scale.Together\, progress is being made towards achieving the GICC goal of lifting childhood cancer survival globally to at least 60%\, while redu cing suffering and improving quality of life\, a goal that was formally re cognized as a public health priority in the political declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2025.Key objectives of the missi on include:supporting national leadership and policy alignment on childhoo d cancer control\;strengthening diagnostic pathways\, treatment standards and access to essential medicines\;advancing on training and capacity building for paediatric hematology and oncology and palliative care\ ;aligning partner-funded investments\, including those supported by St. Ju de Children&rsquo\;s Research Hospital and the Islamic Development Ba nk\, to ensure sustainability and scaling up\; andreducing delays in diagn osis and improving continuity of care.By convening policy-makers\, clinici ans and international partners\, the mission seeks to translate global com mitments into concrete national action.Childhood cancer can be cured &ndas h\; and survival should never depend on geography\, income or chance. DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260228 DTSTAMP:20260405T215501Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260218 LOCATION:Uzbekistan\,Tashkent SEQUENCE:0 SUMMARY:Reducing the burden of childhood cancer: WHO/Europe technical missi on to Uzbekistan UID:RFCALITEM639110229013872207 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Childhood cancer differs from adult cancer &ndash\; and understanding that difference saves lives. When comprehensive medical services are within reach\, more than 80% of children with cancer can be cured\, but in many countries of the WHO European Region the survi val rate is much lower.

To support policies for faster diagnosis an d better treatment of childhood cancer in the European Region and beyond\, WHO/Europe\, in collaboration with St. Jude Children&rsquo\;s Research Ho spital (United States of America)\, is conducting a mission to Uzbekistan. The mission builds on Uzbekistan&rsquo\;s leadership in implementing the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) and its participation in the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines\, with suppo rt from the Islamic Development Bank.

Childhood cancer: why is it d ifferent?

Cancers in children are closely connected to genetic fact ors. This is different from many adult cancers that are often directly ass ociated with lifestyle or environmental risk factors such as tobacco use\, alcohol consumption or unhealthy diets.

Childhood cancers often ari se from rapid cell growth during development\, which means they cannot be prevented &ndash\; but even when these cancers grow quickly\, they can be effectively treated and cured if diagnosed early and managed properly.

Rapid diagnosis and better treatment are key

&ldquo\;The WHO Eu ropean Region has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating childhoo d cancer\, but health inequalities still persist\, and those inequalities can lead to children&rsquo\;s deaths and broken families\,&rdquo\; said Dr Gundo Weiler\, Director for Prevention and Health Promotion at WHO/Europe .

&ldquo\;Where a child lives\, how quickly they are diagnosed and w hether essential medicines and specialized care are available can determin e whether that child survives. In countries with strong health systems\, s urvival rates exceed 80%. In settings with limited access\, survival can f all below 30%. For the safety of our children\, we must strive for the hig hest possible survival rate everywhere.&rdquo\;

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer with quality-assured medicines are critical. Delays can allow fast-growing cancers to progress to advanced stages\, re ducing chances of survival and increasing the intensity of treatment requi red. Strengthening diagnostic pathways to specialized services\, ensuring uninterrupted access to life-saving medicines and expanding professional t raining for health workers are among the most effective ways to improve ou tcomes.

WHO/Europe mission to Uzbekistan: reducing inequalities thr ough system change

The WHO/Europe technical mission to Uzbekistan\, organized in collaboration with the WHO Country Office in Uzbekistan\, ai ms to accelerate national and regional progress by strengthening childhood cancer care systems at scale.

Together\, progress is being made tow ards achieving the GICC goal of lifting childhood cancer survival globally to at least 60%\, while reducing suffering and improving quality of life\ , a goal that was formally recognized as a public health priority in the p olitical declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 202 5.

Key objectives of the mission include:

By c onvening policy-makers\, clinicians and international partners\, the missi on seeks to translate global commitments into concrete national action.

Childhood cancer can be cured &ndash\; and survival should never depen d on geography\, income or chance.

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