As the IAEA held its 55th General Conference from 19-23 September 2011, the Republic of Korea demonstrated its support for the global fight against cancer through a cash contribution to the PACT Programme. This cash contribution of $200 000 was made by the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) and was received by PACT after the two organizations signed a Practical Arrangement. This agreement is expected to help advance comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer capacity building in low and middle income countries, particularly the three PACT Model Demonstration Sites (PMDS) sites in the Asia Pacific region, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Vietnam. The contribution will be utilized to complete imPACT assessments, contribute to PMDS development and evaluation, facilitate the expansion of institutional and individual capacity building, particularly the training of workers for comprehensive cancer control programmes, and to further other areas of common interest.
The next steps in the new partnership with KIRAMS will be a meeting in Korea this November that will bring together KIRAMS, PACT and health practitioners from Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Vietnam and other countries in the Asia Pacific region to discuss cancer control priorities in order to plan for future capacity building projects in Asian countries. Further preparations for collaboration will be made following the November meeting. PACT is extremely grateful for KIRAMS' contribution and is enthusiastic about advancing what has already been a strong relationship between KIRAMS and the IAEA.
Background
Originally founded in 1963 as the Radiation Medicine Research Center, in 1973 the organization was renamed the Korea Cancer Center Hospital and in 2002 it was reorganized as a new medical complex and become known as the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences. For the past 4 decades KIRAMS has remained one of Korea's leading cancer centres, developing cancer diagnosis and treatment technologies, providing the latest treatment services and maintaining innovative treatment facilities. According to Korea's national cancer database statistics, KIRAMS now serves 5-11% of the nation's cancer patients, making it the largest cancer centre in the country.