Egypt: children’s cancer hospital faces closure due to lack of funds

The spectre of closure threatens the largest institution for treating children’s cancer free of charge in Egypt. Hospital 57357 faces closure around 15 years after it received its first cancer case in the summer of 2007. The hospital was built by the efforts of individuals and donations.

Egyptians have expressed surprise that the hospital is suffering from a major financial crisis due to the economic crisis in the country, the high cost of treatment and equipment and a fall in the number of voluntary donations. They are the hospital’s main source of income.

Children’s Cancer Hospital 57357 in Egypt is the largest paediatric cancer treatment centre in the world in terms of capacity. Egyptian citizens and donors from the Arab world contributed to its establishment. According to the hospital website, it is a comprehensive institution to combat children’s cancer and provide high-quality medical care to all patients completely free of charge and with complete impartiality.

The hospital’s vision is to be a unique global model of change towards a childhood without cancer and to be a centre of excellence in health care through its support for quality, smart education, innovative scientific research and expansion projects. It plays a key role in raising awareness and the prevention of cancer.

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