Draft Template Letter for Heads of State of Developed Countries
Dear
,
As a [MEMBER/ HEAD of ORGANISATION/ PROFESSIONAL BODY], representing [numbers] childhood
cancer families/organizations, we strongly urge you to join other world leaders in being a global
champion for Non Communicable Diseases and childhood cancer.
Global efforts to control HIV-AIDS, TB and malaria have shown that substantial improvements and
unprecedented success can be achieved when developed countries provide strategic leadership and
work together in solidarity with developing countries, international organizations and civil society
organizations. Recently, another global call to action has emerged for a cluster of diseases that
have been rapidly increasing, are largely underfunded and are now an important cause of premature
deaths and disabilities in both developed and developing countries. These diseases, referred to as
NCDs (non communicable diseases) are now considered as the greatest killer of both adults and
children (36.1 M; 2/3 of 57M deaths globally).
Four major NCDs (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases) are also the
second most severe global risk, next only to climate change, and equal in cost to the global financial
crisis. Last year, the total economic burden for worldwide new cancer cases was US$300B; while in
2008, the total economic impact of cancer was US$895B, which represents 1.5% of the world’s GDP.
In addition, WHO reports that 83 million years of healthy life has been lost due to death and
disability from cancer alone. These lost years of life and productivity from cancer represents the
single largest drain on the global economy. Thus, cancer and other NCDs threaten to severely
compromise the ability of countries to meet Millennium Development Goals (MDG) commitments
and negatively impacts on initiatives for redistributive growth, poverty reduction, economic stability
and growth.
Cancer kills more people globally than malaria, TB and AIDS combined. More than 70 percent of
these cancer deaths are in low- and middle-income countries that only have about 5% of the global
resources for cancer. Among 5-14 year olds, childhood cancer is also now the major cause of death
(#2 in wealthy countries, #3 in upper-middle income countries, #4 in lower middle-income countries,
and #8 in low-income countries). Each year, more than 175,000 new incidences of children cancer
occur in the world with [number] new incidences in our country. Many of these children remain
undiagnosed, untreated and unreported, especially in developing and low resource countries.
In order to build a more balanced global health portfolio and to demonstrate our country’s
leadership in global health, development and security, as well as your Excellency’s primordial
concern for the well-being and health of all citizens of the world, especially, children, we ask that
you personally participate and/or send a high level delegation (with civil society representatives), to
the UN High Level Summit on NCDs (September 19-20 in New York).
This NCD Summit is viewed by the development community as a historic opportunity for world
leaders to discuss solutions and agree on a platform of action to reverse the trajectory of NCDs. It is
also expected to mobilize resources and support from the international community such that a Global Fund
for NCDs (similar to that for infectious diseases like HIV-AIDS and TB) will be established. Such a coordinated
global response is expected to avert needless death and suffering and reduce the devastating
economic impact of NCDs. If nothing is done, by 2015 NCDs could increase by 24% in Africa and 23%
in Asia. While action will require resources, inaction or delayed action will result in even bigger and
more extensive human and economic costs.
Currently, there are extreme and tragic inequities in NCD mortality rates between developed and
developing countries. These inequities are greatest for children. In developed countries, childhood
cancer is now considered a “modern day miracle”, with some childhood cancers reaching 90%
survival rates; sadly, in many developing countries survival rates range from 20-30 % only. If this
situation continues, many more lives of children with cancer will be lost because of poverty,
unaffordable medical costs, delayed detection and treatment; many more children with advanced
cancer will needlessly suffer and die because of the absence of effective palliative care; many more
families and communities will be impoverished due to catastrophic treatment costs.
In line with our country’s commitments to promoting and protecting the rights of children all over
the world and in consonance with our national values of compassion and caring for the less
fortunate, we ask that you join your voice with ours so that actions protecting and promoting health
concerns and needs of children and adolescents with NCDs (especially childhood cancer) are made an
explicit and integral part of the NCD agenda and final outcomes document. Children and adolescents
are critical to the future of the world; they are at the heart of the global burden of NCDs.
Thus, we specifically ask that you stand up and speak out for children with cancer and urge other
world leaders to scale up their country’s response to the challenge of childhood cancer, prioritizing it
and providing adequate resources to meet the basic survival rights of children with cancer, i.e. the
right of children with cancer to access affordable, appropriate and adequate medical treatment and
care.
Further, we urge you to engage and collaborate with other leaders from developed countries, as well
as heads of development agencies and donor bodies, so that overseas development assistance and
international/regional cooperation agreements for health will embed provisions for addressing the
immense and immediate need for affordable treatment options and sustainable financing
mechanisms which will save and extend the lives of children with cancer in developing countries. Our
country, as with other developed countries, have innovative technologies and effective treatment
interventions for early detection and treatment of childhood cancer, most of which are inaccessible
to developing countries. We also have trained medical personnel and health specialists with
advanced experience and expertise. Simultaneous implementation of large scale twinning programs
and inter-country collaboration will help make these resources available to developing countries.
Finally, we ask that you provide the necessary leadership and direction for concerted and integrated
whole-of-government action at all levels (national, sub-national and local) and across a number of
sectors, to develop public policies and institutionalize programs that are child responsive and create
equitable health promoting environments at all stages of life. Among the priority areas of action we
wish your Honour/Excellency to seriously consider, so as to save and extend the lives of children with
cancer, are:
(*NOTE TO MEMBERS : delete this note when done. Feel free to choose whichever you wish to
highlight among this list or to put in your own priority agenda for action /asks)

Strengthen national health systems and services for childhood cancer by :

Guaranteeing the availability, access and affordability of health services for the early
detection and treatment of children with cancer.

Securing (through legislation if necessary), the availability and access to affordable
essential drugs and technologies for those affected by childhood cancers.

Ensuring investment in cost effective and updated training and education of health and
medical professionals in sub-specialties dealing with childhood cancers, as well as health
para-professionals and community health volunteers

Providing separate, child-centered, childhood cancer units /wards.

Formulating policy issuances to make childhood cancers a notifiable disease and
establishing population-based cancer registries in strategic areas of the country.

Developing a comprehensive, adequately resourced, national strategy or national action
plan for children with cancer and ensuring that civil society organizations and various
sectors are involved in its formulation, implementation, monitoring and implementation.

Expand coverage of National Health Insurance schemes to include coverage of diagnostic
services, supportive and palliative care services, and complete/full treatment of those affected
by childhood cancers. In addition, ensure that it does not discriminate against survivors of
childhood cancers and includes provision for follow up care services, as needed.

Promote community-based actions and initiatives that assist and support children and families
living with childhood cancer, to ensure the highest possible quality of life and well-being.

Undertake high impact and multi-sectoral information campaigns to create an awareness of the
early warning signs of childhood cancers, as well as break the stigma and misconceptions
associated with childhood cancer (i.e. cancer is death; cancer is bad genes ; cancer is a family
curse etc.)

Expand scale of research on childhood cancer causes, aetiology, and treatment protocols.
With this letter, we are also sending you a copy of the NCD Alliance Outcomes document and the
NCD Child Focused Working Group document which is a consolidation of views and
recommendations from experts and practitioners from all over the world, representing 2000
organization in over 170 countries. We ask that you consider these in coming up with our country’s
position on NCD.
Finally, allow us to reiterate our belief that working together and collaborating with other nations, to
aggressively fight NCDs, both locally and globally, is in our best national interest. It is also the right
thing to do. We all share a common bond and responsibility to children of the world and families of
children with cancer and other NCDs. Children should not face and fight cancer alone. One avoidable
death is one death too many.
Thank you for your attention on this urgent issue. We will be available to meet with Your
Honour/Excellency or any designated representative, at any time/day convenient for you. We look
forward to working with you on this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely