Seven African countries including Kenya are set to benefit from a life-saving nuclear medicine and radiotherapy initiative by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative seeks to help African nations to address the shortage of cancer care capacity as part of the ongoing efforts to cut cancer-related deaths on the continent.
On Friday, the IAEA and African Union (AU) agreed to renew and deepen their cooperation on the peaceful use of nuclear technology to help tackle climate change, disease detection and treatment, food security, among other challenges facing the continent.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi, said: “Around half of all cancer patients need radiotherapy, but only one in ten patients in low and middle-income countries can access treatment. The IAEA is creating a new initiative to change that by launching to help countries provide Cancer Care for all.”
He added: “Even relatively small investments – setting up and operating a radiotherapy unit able to treat 500 patients per year can cost US$7.5 million – will make a significant difference in a country’s capacity to offer adequate cancer care to its people.”
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo and Kenya’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Jean Kamau attended the launch of the initiative in Addis Ababa on Friday.
Other beneficiaries include; Benin, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Malawi, and Senegal.
