February 15 is International Childhood Cancer Day—a global collaborative campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer, and to express support for children and adolescents with cancer, the survivors and their families.

Every year 80 to 100 children under 18 are diagnosed with cancer in Armenia, the Ministry of Health informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. About 40% of these cases are leukemia, which is treated with the German BFM program and enable 75-80% recovery in children.

The number of pediatric solid tumors in Armenia is about 40 to 50 primary cases per year.

In Armenia, the full treatment of these children can be carried out according to standardized American and European protocols, and carry out high-dose chemotherapy. And as of 2018, bone marrow autotransplantation is also possible in the country.

Medical services for pediatric oncology and hematology are state-funded in Armenia.

And for the first time, a palliative service for pediatric cancer and a palliative medical care unit—with five beds—have been established in the country.

In 2021, a total of 23 oncology drugs were acquired for the treatment of Armenia’s children and adolescents with oncological and hematological diseases, and these drugs were provided free of charge to the relevant patients. Armenia receives anticancer drugs through humanitarian aid, too.