Proposal for radiotherapy centre

Cypriot Minister of Health Charis Charalambous said today that his Ministry would be submitting within the week a proposal to the Council of Ministers concerning the creation of a new radiotherapy centre in Cyprus.

Charalambous said the archives containing all information on cancer are not up to date due to the absence of proper computerisation, confirmation and recording of data into a cancer databank so that, based on this information, a national cancer strategy could be properly drafted.

He added that the Ministry has documentation of all cancer cases recorded in the past few years, which covers 53 different forms of the illness, noting that there are programmes in place for the prevention and restraint of cancer, and that epidemiological research is being carried out in various communities.

Meanwhile, the Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (PASYKAF) will be marking its 20th anniversary this year with an island-wide fund-raising event.

The Association, with 2,500 members and hundreds of volunteers, helped 3,482 cancer patients and their families in the year 2005. Revenues during 2005 reached 878,635 Cyprus pounds, while expenses reached 881,006 pounds (1 Cyprus pound is trading at about 2 US dollars).

Speaking at a press conference today, PASYKAF President Anna Achilleoudi said the non-profit volunteer association offers services and programmes that the state should be giving, while the financial strengthening of the services depends on contributions, events and a symbolic sum from the government.

Achilleoudi said the fund-raising event will be held on September 22 and 23 in Nicosia, Paphos and Famagusta, October 4, 5 and 6 in Limassol and October 5 and 6 in Larnaca.

The Minister of Health said the Association in its 20 years has been very active in offering health and care services, as well as specialised programmes to those in need, and offered a cheque of 500 pounds as a symbolic contribution of the Ministry.