Pakistan re-elected to International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been re-elected to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors for the 21st time, marking a significant milestone in the country’s commitment to promoting peaceful uses of nuclear technology.

The 68th General Conference of the IAEA brought numerous accolades for Pakistan, with its flagship hospital, Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), earning international recognition for its exceptional cancer diagnosis, treatment, and expertise sharing with regional member states.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi praised NORI’s state-of-the-art facilities and dedication to sharing knowledge with less-equipped cancer care centers in the region.

In addition, Grossi recalled his visit to the hospital last year, expressing admiration for NORI’s leadership in facilities, expertise, and willingness to support regional cancer care.

NORI was among the first five prestigious anchor centers for health designated by the IAEA under the “Rays of Hope” initiative, aimed at advancing equitable cancer care through targeted support, education, training, research, innovation, and quality assurance.

The IAEA’s “Rays of Hope Anchor Centres” play a pivotal role in promoting cancer care in neighboring countries. The initiative highlights ground-breaking research, cutting-edge databases, state-of-the-art e-learning, and virtual reality tools to support critical work.

Grossi commended NORI’s impressive progress, saying, “Now that one year has passed, NORI has shown exemplary progress among the Anchor Centres, which is commendable. The Chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Director NORI, dedicated doctors, and staff deserve appreciation for this wonderful progress.”

Pakistan also organized a Member State Event, “Pakistan-IAEA: Collaboration of Hope,” showcasing Atomic Energy Cancer Hospital (AECH), and NORI’s contributions to managing Pakistan’s cancer burden. The event highlighted AECH’s potential role as an anchor center.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar, addressed the event, saying, “It’s a pleasure to address this community adopting nuclear science and technology for socio-economic uplift. Pakistan enjoys a longstanding partnership with IAEA, focusing on peaceful nuclear technology applications.”

Dr. Anwar emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to leveraging nuclear technology for socio-economic development and addressing non-communicable diseases like cancer, which claimed 180,000 lives annually in Pakistan.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission has established 19 cancer hospitals across the country, catering to over 40,000 new cancer cases annually and 1 million follow-up cases, taking around 80% of Pakistan’s cancer burden. The commission boasts a dedicated team of 380 highly trained nuclear physicians, radiotherapists, oncologists, and medical physicists.

Pakistan’s re-election to the IAEA Board of Governors and NORI’s international recognition demonstrates the country’s active participation in promoting peaceful uses of nuclear technology and addressing regional health challenges.