The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) today signed a Memorandum of Practical Arrangements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the areas of radiation medicine and food safety.
The MoU was signed by Assistant Minister of Health Affairs at the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Saleh Ali Al Marri and Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Hua Liu.
The signing of agreement was attended by Abdulhadi Nasser Al Marri, Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and National Coordinator between the State of Qatar and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and officials from the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Hamad Medical Corporation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The objective of these Practical Arrangements is to set forth the framework for non-exclusive cooperation between the State of Qatar and the International Atomic energy agency in the area of human health with the aim of contributing to the enhancement of the quality of healthcare in other countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in implementation of the recommendations of the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries hosted by the State of Qatar in March 2023.
The scope of cooperation includes a number of important areas, most notably enhancing the safe use of radiation medicine through improving the safe use of nuclear technology for diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), and enhancing food safety through addressing the risks of food contaminants in relation to trade, i.e. supporting building the capacity of countries to ensure the safety of food exports and imports.
Dr. Saleh Ali Al Marri stressed the importance of the memorandum of practical arrangements in enhancing cooperation between the State of Qatar and the International Atomic Energy Agency in the areas of radiation medicine and food safety, which contributes to the development of national capabilities to promote the health and safety of the population, in addition to supporting other countries in these two important areas, especially the least developed countries, based on the keenness of both sides to strengthen the global partnership that responds effectively to the needs of the Least Developed countries and contribute to supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, including the third goal on good health and well-being.
He added that in the light of the MoU, a number of laboratories and advanced centers inside the State of Qatar will be allocated as collaborating centers with the International Atomic Energy Agency, especially in the areas of food safety, diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy, radiation protection in medical applications, dosimetry and medical physics, and other related fields.
Cooperation activities include supporting IAEA capacity-building activities related to the medical use of ionizing radiation, food safety through trainings, supporting IAEA expert missions to assess and support other countries needs, and the technical cooperation program. In addition, collaborating on research and development.
Cooperation activities also include supporting the IAEA's " Rays of Hope " initiative launched by the Agency, which focuses on supporting countries that suffer the lack of radiotherapy whereas the initiative supports establishing and expanding the diagnostic and treatment services. (QNA)
