Voice raised to “Close the Care Gap” for Children with Cancer. #FaasleKhatamKaro

New Delhi :- On the occasion of World Cancer Day, kids with cancer and their parents from across India are writing letters to their respective MPs and requesting to raise the serious issue of Health Inequity for Cancer kids in the Parliament session and urge to formulate a National Plan and Policy for Childhood Cancer.

The letters bear witness to the parents and innocent kids who are currently fighting to the death for life. Despite suffering from deadly cancer these children have highlighted the gaps/obstacles in words and via drawing which they have faced from their diagnosis and treatment.

This is an effort by Cankids Kidscan (The National Society for Change for Childhood Cancer in India), as part of a month-long “Close the Care Gap” Faasle khatam karo campaign. Launched by International Union for Cancer Control (UICC) the 3-year theme #Closethecaregap is about identifying and addressing the barriers that exist for many people around the world in accessing the care they need.

In India the campaign is kicking off on World Cancer Day 4th Feb through International Childhood Cancer Day 15th Feb, the campaign is going across 23 states which include 50+ cities and over 70 cancer centres to acknowledge the thousands of children and their families who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, raise awareness and advocate for better survival for children with cancer in India.

Childhood cancers represent the starkest area of health inequity with survival rates over 80% in high-income countries and as low as 20% in low-income countries like India. While children who make it to cancer centres can expect survival rates of 50% even going up to 80% in the better hospitals in India the 66% who don’t get diagnosed or make it to a treating centre will not survive.  Hence the overall low survival.

80% of Children with Cancer in India may not survive. About 76805 children have cancer each year of which not more than 34% are reaching a cancer hospital anywhere in the country, this becomes a key factor for overall survival rates in India at less than 20%.

Top  7 Cancers in India by No of Cases each year
S.No	Type of Cancer	Incidence Per Year		International Survival Rates	Indian Survival Rate (Survcan)
1	Breast	162500	14%	80–84%	55.30%
2	Oral	120000	10%	90%	23.60%
3	Cervical	97000	8%	50–70%	35.10%
4	Childhood Cancers	76805	7%	80%	18%
5	Lung	68000	6%	10–20%	5.20%
6	Stomach	57000	5%	20–40%	6.50%
7	Colorectal	57000	5%	50–59%	13%
	Total Incidence of Cancer in India	1160000

Poonam Bagai, Chairman Cankids, said “In healthcare, inequality refers to the uneven distribution of resources. By contrast, inequity means unjust, avoidable differences in care or health outcomes. The difference may seem subtle, but closing the cancer care gap isn’t about simply providing everyone with equal resources. #ClosetheCareGap is all about raising awareness/understanding about everything that is resulting in poor Access2Care which is preventing our Children with cancer from surviving and thriving.”

“Of the top 7 cancers in India, childhood cancers rank 4th after breast, oral & cervical cancer. Yet there is no special focus on childhood cancers, not even on World Cancer Day! We have been seeking attention from the Ministry of Health & PM for the last two years to address this inequity. As childhood cancer survivors we collected 300000 pledges for a National Plan and Policy on Childhood Cancer to be a child & health priority in India. We are hoping this time our voices will be heard” said Chandan Kumar, Survivor Leader of India’s largest survivor group Kidscan Konnect.