Philips Foundation partners with World Child Cancer to launch large-scale initiative to drive early detection of childhood cancers in Indonesia

Jakarta, Indonesia – Philips Foundation, with its mission to provide access to quality healthcare for 100 million people a year in underserved communities by 2030, has announced a partnership with World Child Cancer (WCC) to launch a large-scale initiative aimed at improving early detection and treatment of childhood cancer in Indonesia.

Over multiple years, the partnership will introduce an innovative health app as a go-to resource for childhood cancer information – helping healthcare providers, parents, and the public to enable informed early diagnosis and appropriate referrals. Robust training programs will also be launched to upskill radiologists in childhood cancer detection using ultrasound and CT technology, through a series of e-learning modules and live training sessions.

Implementation of the initiative will be supported by Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in the Netherlands as well as local partners such as the Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in Bandung, Indonesia, Dr. Sardjito General Hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing and the Indonesian Anyo Foundation.

“Every child deserves a fair chance at early, accurate cancer diagnosis and equal access to treatment and care – that’s what drives our mission. Through this multistakeholder partnership, we are bridging the gap in childhood cancer care in Indonesia – increasing awareness, driving earlier diagnosis and treatment, and improving survival rates,” said Welmer Blom, Managing Director World Child Cancer-The Netherlands.

Tackling the multifaceted challenge of childhood cancer

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 400,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer each year, with approximately eight in ten residing in low- and middle-income countries. Due to limited access to diagnosis and treatment, fewer than three in ten of these children survive. This is in stark contrast to a survival rate of more than 80% in high-income countries. This disparity underscores the urgent need for sustainable, long-term interventions, aligning with the WHO global initiative on childhood cancer, which aims to achieve a 60% survival rate for six curable childhood cancers by 2030 [1].

Indonesia faces a significant challenge with childhood cancer detection and treatment. It is estimated that over 10,000 children develop cancer each year [2]. Yet only an average of 2,000 cases were recorded between 2021 to 2023 – largely due to gaps in awareness, access to care, and a shortage of pediatric oncologists, particularly in remote areas [3].

“Every year, about 61,000 new cases of childhood cancers are diagnosed in South-East Asia Region, yet nearly half go undiagnosed. These are not just numbers – but children with their whole lives ahead of them [4],” stated Margot Cooijmans, Director of the Philips Foundation. “This is why we are deeply committed to reducing health inequality and give more children in Indonesia the chance to grow up healthy. By harnessing our technological expertise and fostering strong collaborations with our local partners, we aim to create a profound and lasting impact on childhood cancer care.”

Bridging the knowledge gap and improving radiology access for early childhood cancer diagnosis

The initiative aims to equip healthcare providers, parents of childhood cancer patients, and the general public with robust, up-to-date information and best practices tailored to their specific needs through an innovative health app. Healthcare providers, such as general practitioners, pediatricians and surgeons, will benefit from features such as a symptoms checker, supportive care advice, and an updated patient referral system. A built-in chat function will connect users with local pediatric oncologists, and e-learning modules on pediatric oncology will also be made available to support continued professional development. 

Parents will be equipped with the knowledge and support they need for their child's treatment. The app provides detailed information and videos on the various types of childhood cancers, treatment options, self-management advice, and hospital contact numbers. The general public will also have access to educational resources, aiding early cancer detection through heightened awareness and guidance on symptom recognition.

A cornerstone of this initiative is the specialized training for radiologists, which is crucial for improving early detection and diagnosis of childhood cancer. Each year, radiologists from the Princess Máxima Center – the largest pediatric cancer hospital in Europe – will provide hands-on training to help Indonesian radiologists detect cancer earlier and more accurately. This training will teach radiologists how to use advanced ultrasound and CT imaging to spot childhood cancers earlier and more accurately – giving kids a better chance at survival.