United Nations Radio

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a global cancer crisis is looming. As many as 84 million people could die over the next 10 years. The  IAEA, says the time to act is now. Gerry Adams has more:

Narrator: Cancer kills more people each year than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. In the looming crisis, developing countries will be hardest hit - more than 75 percent of new cancers are likely to occur in the developing world. In low income countries, for example fewer than 25 percent of patients have access to radiation therapy, compared to more than 50 percent in high income countries. In 2004, the International Atomic Energy Agency created PACT, the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy to help fight the cancer crisis threatening the developing world. Krishnan Suthanthiran is the founder of an engineering company known as Best Medical International, as well as a healthcare crusader and a supporter of IAEA/PACT:

Krishnan 1: The PACT Programme is very similar to ours. The goals are the same. PACT focuses on prevention, early detection and total cure.

Narrator: Best Medical has recently been involved with the PACT Programme in Nicaragua and Tanzania. Mr. Suthanthiran explains:

Krishnan 2: This allows both Tanzania and Nicaragua to expand cancer treatment. They can treat about as many as 100 to 150 patients a day, depending on how many hours they operate them. In addition to that, we believe that IAEA is in the right direction in terms of developing this concept of PACT but focusing on prevention, early detection and cure and also talking about affordable technology.

Narrator: Mr. Suthanthiran has a personal to the fight against cancer. He lost his father to the disease:

Krishnan 3: Having lost my father and watching him die and it was kind of very painful. It makes a lasting impression. You want to be able to contribute something to that.

Narrator: Krishnan Suthanthiran. Radiotherapy has a part to play in the treatment of nearly all types of cancer. The early detection of cancer is crucial for curative radiotherapy. But lack of resources for investment in education, early detection and diagnosis in developing countries means that many patients with potentially curable cancers seek treatment so late, that radiotherapy can only palliate and provide a humane death. PACT's goal is to help developing countries improve and accelerate access to effective diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy services.

Reporting for UN Radio, this is Gerry Adams.

duration: 2'33"