Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Monday signed a MoU with Maldives to support cancer care programme and setting up cancer hospitals in the island nation.
The state government decided to cooperate on cancer care programme of the neighboring nation following a request from their government. Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) experts will provide technical and administrative support for cancer prevention, detection and treatment programmes. The RCC will also help Maldives health ministry to set up cancer centres in that country.
At a press conference here after signing of the MoU, Chief Minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan said relations between Kerala and Maldives were strong and cordial.
"A large number of people were coming to Kerala to seek treatment for cancer and various other ailments. It is on the request of the Maldives government that the state government decided to assist in cancer care," he said.
The main objective of the MoU is to provide expertise of RCC for cancer prevention, detection and treatment facilities and support the activities of the Maldives government.
The RCC will assist Maldives health ministry in enhancing facilities for cancer research, diagnostic and treatment facilities besides helping in setting up hospitals in the island nation. Through such measures the people of Maldives will be able to get best of cancer care treatment .
As part of the arrangement, doctors, nurses, pharmacist, laboratory staff would be given special training at the RCC. The Centre will also organise continuing medical education programmes in cancer care.
Additional chief secretary home Dr Vishwash Mehta , health principal secretary Dr Rajan N Khobragade and RCC director Rekha A Nair were also present at the MoU signing function.
