[Advancing Pediatric Oncology Care in Francophone Africa: Implementation of the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer in Morocco and Senegal].
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Although childhood cancer is rare, it remains a major cause of mortality in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where survival rates are significantly lower than those observed in high-income countries. To address this disparity, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) in 2018, aiming to achieve at least a 60% survival rate by 2030 through the "CureAll" approach. This article aims to raise awareness of the GICC in the French-speaking world and to share an interim assessment of its implementation in two pilot countries, Morocco and Senegal. With four decades of experience in paediatric oncology, Morocco was selected in 2019 as a pilot site for the GICC. A national study, serving as the first step in defining measurable targets for 2030, revealed a 5-year survival rate of 65% for the six priority paediatric cancers, enabling the establishment of an ambitious 80% survival goal by 2030 and the development of a national road map encompassing access to care and essential medicines, supportive care, governance, and training. In Senegal, the launch of the CureAll program in 2021 marked a major milestone in a context where childhood cancer had previously been neither structured nor prioritized. This initiative mobilized stakeholders, conducted a national situational analysis, and developed an action plan tailored to local realities, focusing on early diagnosis, quality of care, and research, alongside the opening of a second treatment center to strengthen access to specialized paediatric care. These initiatives have repositioned paediatric cancers, historically considered as an orphan diseases embedded within adult cancer programs, as a public health priority clearly supported by the government and the WHO. Their success relies on the coordination and pooling of efforts and resources among national and international partners, enabling rapid and effective implementation of actions to improve clinical outcomes in paediatric oncology.