World Cancer Day: IAEA Technical Cooperation Program and the Fight against Cancer

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As part of its mandate to support countries in the use of nuclear techniques for development, the IAEA is fully engaged in the fight against cancer. Improving access to effective cancer treatment in developing countries is one of Director General Yukiya Amano’s key priorities, and the IAEA is making radiotherapy and nuclear medicine more widely available through its technical cooperation program. Recent achievements include the following:​

 

• The IAEA helped Uganda restart radiotherapy services for cancer patients by assisting with the safe decommissioning of the Uganda Cancer Institute’s old radiotherapy machine and by purchasing a new one on a cost-sharing basis with the Government. The new Cobalt-60 machine will complement the existing brachytherapy service at the Institute to offer treatment to women suffering from gynecological cancer.

 

• In Cambodia, the IAEA partnered with the Government to build the Techo Santepheap Centre, the country’s first-ever national cancer centre. The IAEA contributed approximately €2 million to the center’s design, the commissioning of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine machines, and to specialized staff training.

 

• With IAEA support, Tegucigalpa’s Hospital San Felipe inaugurated the first public brachytherapy service in Honduras. The new equipment will serve an expected 1000 patients per year, substantially increasing the number of cancer patients treated and enhancing the capacity of hospital personnel.

To read more please visit: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/world-cancer-day-iaea-technical-cooperation-programme-and-the-fight-against-cancer

Source: IAEA