Our vision at IHP is to see a world in which all suffering due to lack of healthcare is eradicated. Central to this is partnership that allows the sharing of talents so that together we can tackle barriers and overcome obstacles to access. One such partner is World Child Cancer. Operating in numerous countries, including Malawi, they help children with cancer to access diagnosis, treatment and care.

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IHP has shipped medical treatments to the Paediatric Oncology Unit (POU) at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi’s largest public hospital. This is one of World Child Cancer’s bases and where 40% of Malawi’s annual child cancer cases are diagnosed. Our work together means that patients can access life-saving treatment, free of charge.

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Over 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year. Yet the possibility of treatment varies significantly, depending on where in the world the child is born. While 80% of children in high-income countries with cancer are cured, in low- and middle-income countries, this figure is only 30%. One key determinant in treatment is infrastructure. In Malawi’s Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, the POU only has a bed capacity of 32, 12 nurses and 2 clinicians, yet it is the only referral centre for all childhood cancer cases in the region. Such lack of provision helps explain why 70% of the 10 million people who died from cancer in 2020 were in low- and middle-income countries. Working together, IHP and World Child Cancer are seeking to rectify this by establishing high–quality, free care for child cancer patients in Malawi.

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IHP has shipped over 20,000 oncology and cancer related treatments to over 10 countries since 2019. One recipient was Madalitso, a thirteen-year-old boy from Chipasuka village, who was admitted to POU after being diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma (BL).

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After experiencing leg pain, he was repeatedly hospitalised, yet his condition went undiagnosed. It was recommended that he go for an x-ray, however neither hospital he visited offered this service. He was then referred to QECH where he was diagnosed with BL and was admitted on 6th October 2022, almost a month after his initial leg pain.

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“Thank you for the treatment my child is receiving. He is getting better, and you should not stop the support.” says Madalitso’s grandmother.

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It was not until receiving specialised care that Madalitso was able to recover. However, such high-quality treatment is not always available. In high-income countries, 90% of people have access to comprehensive cancer treatments. Yet in low-income countries, only 15% of people do. Our aspiration for this partnership is growth in impact and scale, enabling more children to access life-saving treatment. Our hope is to treat more patients like Madalitso and to be part of a coalition of forces, working together to make foundational, life-changing contributions to the healthcare provisions of countries such as Malawi.

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Though we are proud of the work we have completed together so far, a chronic need remains. Through the donations of individuals, we can continue providing access to medicines for children with cancer in Malawi. Through the provision of long-dated and first-quality donated healthcare products, we will continue to serve those in need, working with exceptional partners like World Child Cancer in the process.

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For many people in countries like Malawi, shipments like ours are the only access they have to the treatments they need to fight their cancer. Your donation helps equip facilities and healthcare workers to save lives. Donate today

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