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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