"This action plan is part of the government's commitment to fighting childhood cancer, which requires serious attention as a national priority," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said at the launch event.
The action plan is part of the National Cancer Plan 2024–2034, he added.
The minister said that cancer is the third leading cause of death in Indonesia and is considered a catastrophic non-communicable disease. In addition to being life-threatening, cancer treatment also involves high medical costs and is a long process.
Based on data from Globocan, more than 408,651 new cases and 242,099 deaths due to cancer were recorded in Indonesia in 2022.
Childhood cancer in Indonesia is also a serious concern, with 11,156 cases recorded in children aged 0–19 years in 2020.
"Leukemia is the most common type of cancer, with 3,880 cases (34.8 percent), followed by lymphoma and brain cancer, each around 640 cases (5.7 percent)," the minister informed.
He said that RANKA focuses on formulating specific policies to handle childhood cancer (<18 years) and improving health services for children with cancer.
In addition, it focuses on increasing early detection, providing more adequate health facilities, and psychosocial support for families, Sadikin added.
"Although the number of cancer cases in children is only around 3–5 percent of all cancers in Indonesia, childhood cancer is a priority because six types of cancer commonly found in children are curable through diagnostic access, adequate therapy, and adequate support services," he said.
He added that childhood cancer handling must be carried out comprehensively and with the help of quality health services.
This would require building support from families and the community by making them aware of symptoms and encouraging people to carry out further examinations at health facilities.
Sadikin said that the launch of RANKA 2025–2029 is expected to strengthen the government's efforts to provide better and more comprehensive access to childhood cancer treatment to improve their quality of life.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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