Morocco allocates $1.5 mln to fight cancer in 2009

Morocco has allocated 12 million dirhams (1.5 million dollars) to fight cancer in 2009 against 8 million dirhams (1 million dollars) in 2008, Health Minister, Yasmina Baddou said.

   Cancer is a real danger and inflicts a great deal of suffering to patients, Baddou said, Tuesday, at the house of Adviser's question time.

   According to Baddou, a national strategy has been elaborated to address this issue and it relates mainly to creating new regional centers specialized in cancer treatment, reinforcing prevention against most prevalent types of cancer, and improving medical coverage of patients as well as scientific research.

   The ministry works in collaboration with several civil society organizations, notably the Lalla Salma Association to fight Cancer (ALSC) through a program of early screening of breast and cervical cancers, Baddou said.

   Along with the ALSC, it plans to generalize, throughout Morocco, a pilot experience aimed at providing free medicines in the southern region of Agadir.

    The Minister said her department plans to create new centers in Marrakech, Tangiers, and Fez in addition to a center of child cancer in Rabat, an oncology center in Casablanca, and a pain treatment unit within the Rabat Oncology National Center.

MAP