World Cancer Day & closing care gap in Latin America & Caribbean

On World Cancer Day today, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has issued a critical call to action: Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean must prioritise access to essential cancer medicines, supplies, and equipment. This urgent appeal underscores a grim reality that cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the Americas, claiming over 1.4 million lives annually. With more than four million new cases each year, the fight against cancer demands immediate and sustained attention.
Director of PAHO, Dr Jarbas Barbosa has emphasised that equitable access to treatment is vital to improving survival rates and quality of life. The barriers to care – high costs, inefficient procurement systems, and limited distribution networks – are not insurmountable, but addressing them requires a coordinated, multi-pronged approach.
One such approach is pooled procurement, which can help drive down the exorbitant prices of cancer medications by increasing predictability in demand. This model has proven successful in other health sectors and must be expanded to include essential cancer medicines. Additionally, updating treatment protocols and streamlining distribution networks will help ensure that no patient is left behind simply because of where they live or their economic status.
Nowhere is the inequality in cancer care more glaring than in the treatment of childhood cancers. In Latin America and the Caribbean, approximately 30,000 children and adolescents under the age of 19 are diagnosed with cancer annually, and nearly 10,000 of them will die from the disease. In stark contrast, in high-income countries, the survival rate for childhood cancer exceeds 80 per cent. In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), however, the rate plunges to about 20 per cent, primarily due to a lack of access to affordable, quality-assured medicines.
Recognising this disparity, PAHO is working with global partners such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and UNICEF to improve childhood cancer care. Through the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, PAHO is ensuring a continuous supply of affordable, high-quality cancer medicines to LMICs. This initiative, backed by a 2024 agreement with St Jude, aims to strengthen national procurement systems and enhance supply chain resilience, offering hope to thousands of children who otherwise face devastating odds.
A crucial resource in this battle is PAHO’s Strategic Fund, which enables countries to obtain essential cancer medicines and critical tools for prevention and early detection. Dr Barbosa has urged nations to take full advantage of this fund, which also provides Human Papillomavirus (HPV) tests for cervical cancer screening and treatment devices for cervical pre-cancer cases. Investing in these resources now will yield long-term benefits, saving lives and reducing the economic burden of late-stage cancer treatment.
One of the most preventable forms of cancer, cervical cancer, continues to claim around 40,000 lives each year in the Americas. Yet, with the right strategies in place – widespread HPV vaccination, effective screening programmes, and timely treatment – it is a disease that can be eliminated as a public health issue. PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative has set ambitious yet achievable targets for 2030: 90 per cent vaccination coverage for girls by age 15, 70 per cent screening coverage with high-precision tests for women at ages 35 and 45, and 90 per cent treatment for precancerous lesions and invasive cervical cancer cases.
Encouragingly, 48 out of 51 countries, including Guyana and territories in the region, have already introduced HPV vaccination, with many adopting the more accessible single-dose scheme. Additionally, PAHO is supporting nations in accessing HPV vaccines at lower costs through its Revolving Fund, while also promoting high-precision HPV testing for screening. Though implementation is in its early stages in many countries, four have already incorporated these tests into national programmes, and seven have received donated thermal ablation devices for treating precancerous lesions.
The fight against cancer is not just a medical challenge, but a moral imperative. Meanwhile, international collaboration must continue to play an essential role in bridging the gap, particularly in childhood cancer care and cervical cancer elimination.
Today, this World Cancer Day, is not just a time for reflection but for action as through strategic investment, policy reforms, and sustained global cooperation, Latin America and the Caribbean can build a future where every individual, regardless of their socio-economic status, has access to life-saving cancer treatment.