Distinguished Chair and Delegates,
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) affect over 130 million children worldwide, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries. This includes rare life-threatening NCDs with high global toll and injury risk, such as childhood cancers.

The Political Declaration of the UN Fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health included the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer target of at least 60% survival worldwide by 2030. This milestone also builds momentum for other childhood NCDs.

WHO recognizes childhood cancer diagnosis and treatment as cost-effective NCD interventions. Investment in this multi-disciplinary area can strengthen health systems, workforce capacity, and services including imaging, pathology, anaesthesiology, nursing, vaccination, pain, palliative, and psychosocial care. It can also advance health and safety research, injury and blindness prevention, and timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and comprehensive care. These benefits are highly relevant across childhood NCDs, including sickle cell, auditory, and oral health conditions.

Political momentum must now be followed by action through strategic prioritisation of childhood NCDs in national policies and programmes. A safe, well-resourced, and trained health workforce is essential, alongside robust surveillance and monitoring to ensure effective reporting and accountability. We urge Member States to decisively build on the UN’s landmark commitment to NCD control with emphasis on childhood cancer to enhance survival, quality of life, safety, and equity for all children.
View full statements including supporting organisations here:https://siop-online.org/siop-at-the-who/