Pakistan has been elected to the Board of Governors (BOG) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the 21st time since joining the agency. This recognition highlights Pakistan and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission’s active involvement in IAEA initiatives aimed at promoting the peaceful use of atomic energy, as stated in a news release received on Thursday.
The 68th General Conference (GC) has brought significant honors to Pakistan. One notable achievement was the Nuclear Medicine, Oncology, and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), a leading hospital of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in Islamabad, which received international acclaim for its contributions to cancer diagnosis and treatment. This recognition came directly from Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the IAEA, during two sideline events at the ongoing GC.
One event, organized by the IAEA Secretariat, was titled “Realizing Hope for All: Rays of Hope Anchor Centres – One Year On.” This gathering emphasized the vital role that Rays of Hope Anchor Centres play in enhancing equitable cancer care through support in education, training, research, innovation, and quality assurance.
Marking one year since the establishment of the first five IAEA Anchor Centres, the event showcased their progress, ongoing activities, and future directions. It also highlighted a variety of IAEA innovations—such as groundbreaking research, advanced databases, and cutting-edge e-learning and virtual reality tools—that these centres can utilize to improve their operations.
During the event, Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed his admiration for NORI, recalling his visit during an official trip to Pakistan in February 2023. He commended NORI for its leadership in facilities and expertise, as well as its commitment to sharing knowledge with less-equipped cancer care centers in the region. He praised the hospital’s state-of-the-art facilities and recognized its designation as one of the first five Anchor Centres worldwide under the Rays of Hope initiative. Grossi noted that NORI has demonstrated impressive progress over the past year, commending the efforts of PAEC’s chairman, the NORI director, dedicated doctors, and staff.
The second sideline event, organized by Pakistan, was titled “Pakistan – IAEA: Collaboration of Hope.” This event focused on the Atomic Energy Cancer Hospital (AECH) – NORI, one of the nineteen cancer hospitals operated by PAEC and a major resource for training health professionals involved in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
In his address, PAEC Chairman Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar emphasized Pakistan’s long-standing partnership with the IAEA, highlighting the importance of nuclear science and technology for socio-economic development. He noted that cancer is a leading cause of non-communicable diseases in Pakistan, responsible for approximately 180,000 deaths annually. The PAEC prioritizes the application of nuclear technology in healthcare, operating 19 cancer hospitals across the country staffed by 380 highly trained professionals. These hospitals manage over 40,000 new cancer cases each year and follow up with about 1 million patients, addressing roughly 80% of the nation’s cancer burden.
