36 Libyan children with serious oncological conditions to be transferred to Italy: first patient arrives in Rome

The first of 36 Libyan children with serious oncological conditions who will be moved to Italy for emergency treatment will be arriving in Rome later today, accompanied by his mother. The boy has a serious form of leukaemia and needs an immediate bone marrow transplant.

This humanitarian initiative, following the agreement reached between President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Libya on 7 May, involves cooperation between the Italian Ministry of Health, the Bambino Gesù paediatric hospital and the relevant Benghazi authorities.

All institutions involved in the agreement are working to speed up the arrival of the other young patients to Italy and to ensure they can get all the treatment they need as quickly as possible.

"I am proud of this agreement - commented President Meloni -, it confirms the Italian Government's great sensitivity and attention to the needs of the most vulnerable, as well as our nation's ability to engage in dialogue with everyone and to build bridges of cooperation and mutual support".

[Courtesy translation]