Egypt will start screening children for six common cancers in January
The EGP 1.8bn "Noor Saghir" programme will train more than 25,000 health workers to spot warning signs during routine check-ups, from birth to 18.
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Cairo — Egypt will launch a national programme for the early detection and treatment of childhood cancers in January 2027, the Ministry of Health and Population has said. The programme, called "Noor Saghir", is expected to cost about EGP 1.8 billion and aims to cut the time it takes to diagnose a child by at least 20%.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar reviewed the final preparations for what the ministry describes as Egypt's first integrated national programme for spotting childhood cancers early.
Six cancers first
The programme covers children from birth to 18. It starts with six cancers the initiative identifies as common and highly treatable: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms tumour, low-grade glioma and retinoblastoma.
Checks during visits that already happen
Instead of waiting for referrals once symptoms are advanced, checks for warning signs will be built into services children already use: vaccination visits, growth monitoring, hearing tests and school health examinations. Newborns and infants will have red-reflex eye examinations, children under five will be checked during vaccination and growth visits, and older children will be examined through school clinics.
More than 25,000 health workers are to be trained to recognise the signs and refer children. Coverage will be extended to rural and remote health units.
From the clinic to treatment
Cases will move through three levels: primary care units and school clinics, then early-diagnosis clinics, then specialist cancer centres where needed. The ministry says each child with suspected warning signs will be followed until a diagnosis is made and treatment begins. Families can get information on hotline 15335, and treatment will be coordinated with Egypt's health insurance system and specialist children's cancer centres. The minister also ordered a psychological support service for children and their families.
Source: Daily News Egypt, November 2026.
