Health Minister Emil Ceban said that receiving these medicines is an important step in strengthening the capacity of the health system to treat complex pathologies in children.
According to him, Moldova’s accession to the platform means a stable system for the provision of appropriate medicines.
The director of the Oncology Institute, Ruslan Baltagi, said that the platform ensures permanent access to the necessary drugs, especially for low- and middle-income countries.
Miliana Grbic, WHO Representative in Moldova, emphasized that the supplies will be provided for four years, ensuring basic medical care for children.
UNICEF Country Representative Maha Damaj added that the organization will continue to assist the Ministry of Health in prioritizing pediatric oncology in national strategies, as well as in strengthening the regulatory and financial framework.
The Global Platform for Access to Pediatric Oncology Drugs was initiated in 2021 by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization’s Strategic Fund. As Logos Press previously wrote, Moldova joined the Global Platform in June 2025.
It should be noted that about 100 new cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed annually in Moldova. The five-year survival rate for childhood cancer in Moldova is about 60%, which is an improvement but still below the regional average.
As Natalia Vâlcu, Chair of the Public Association “Life without Leukemia” noted, thanks to the platform “there will no longer be a question whether there will be drugs next time: now treatment here at home is a real, safe and comparable prospect with developed countries”.
