Download Draft Template Letter for Developing Countries

Draft Template Letter for Heads of State of Developing 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.
While our country has gained tremendous inroads in combating infectious diseases (e.g. malaria, TB),
the rapid increase of deaths and disability from NCDs (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and
chronic respiratory diseases) as well as their catastrophic costs, is undermining whatever gains we
may have made over recent years. These four major NCDs are now considered as the greatest killer
of both adults and children (36.1M; 2/3 of 57M deaths globally).
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 like ours. Among 5-14 year olds, cancer
is also now the leading 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.
NCDs 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 global economy. Thus, cancer and other NCDs threaten to
severely compromise the ability of nations like ours, to meet Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
commitments and negatively impacts on our initiatives for poverty reduction, sustainable
development, economic growth and security.
To demonstrate our country’s commitment to global health, development and security, as well as
your Excellency’s primordial concern for the well-being and health of our citizens, 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 translate directly into millions of lives and billions of dollars saved from
premature deaths and debilitating health conditions.
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; in developing countries like ours we do not achieve anywhere near these figures; often 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 absence of effective palliative care; many more
families and communities will be impoverished due to catastrophic treatment costs.
Thus, we ask that you join your voice with ours and help ensure that actions protecting and
promoting health concerns and needs of children and adolescents with NCD (especially childhood
cancer) are made an explicit and integral part of the agenda and final outcomes document.
Children and adolescents are critical to the future of our country and all nations of the world; they
are at the heart of the global burden of NCDs.
In addition, we specifically ask that you stand up and speak out for kids with cancer and urge other
world leaders, to scale up their countries’ 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 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
signs and symptoms of childhood cancers as well as break the stigma and misconceptions
associated with cancer (i.e. cancer is death; cancer is bad genes; cancer is a family curse etc.)
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's also the right
thing to do. We all share a common bond and responsibility to children of the world; children and
families of children with cancer and other NCDs should not face and fight 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