ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the Kurdistan Regional Government earmarked $20 million to combat the disease locally, aiming to provide aid to patients, spread awareness, and increase research treatment and prevention.
“For the year of 2018, the council for the fundraiser decided to have a strategic and joint plan which we named Hevi with Rudaw Media Network being the media sponsor," said Dr. Dara Rasheed.
Sunday was World Cancer Day.
The KRG’s established a council for the Project Hevi (“Hope” in English) fundraiser to benefit cancer and has allocated $20 million to fight the disease and aid patients and their families.
Rasheed, who is chairing the fundraiser and prominent local physician, explained the aim of the project is to ease the burden on patients’ families as they often must pay large sums of money for specialized treatment in and outside the country.
Rasheed added it is a long-term plan, and for this inaugural year they have allocated $20 million to help pay for the expenses and medication of cancer patients.
“It is free of charge for all the cancer patients receiving medical treatment at cancer centers and hospitals,” he explained, adding they also aim to help cover the expenses of those going abroad.
Dr. Aras Bradosti, the head of the Rudaw’s Health Desk explained that the project is comprised four phases.
In the first phase, treatment is the priority.
The second phase, Bradosti explained, will be a comprehensive plan to spread health awareness. As per the plan, the council along with the Rudaw’s Health Desk will implement an awareness plan about the disease.
For the project, an email account will setup to receive research proposals. A scientific and academic board, in coordination with the Rudaw Research Center and other relevant parties from the KRG Ministry of Higher Education, will oversee the project.
The final phase will be dedicated to cancer prevention.
“Preventing cancer,” Bradosti said, “in the sense that we will implement all the international health measures and regulations to prevent cancer.”
Bradosti added that cancer patients can contact via Rudaw’s health section web portal, where there will be a banner
People can also register in person at Nanakai Hospital in Erbil, Hiwa in Sulaimani, or Azadi in Duhok.
Asked how the $20 million was allocated, Bradosti said, it is funded through local taxes.
According to the KRG ministry of health, there were 4,808 reported cancer cases in the Kurdistan Region in 2017 – a rate of 92 cases in every 100,000 people. Of these, 905 were cases of breast cancer. As these are only the reported cases, it is possible the figure is actually higher.
A rate of 300 cases in every 100,000 is considered high on the worldwide scale, while a rate of 100 in every 100,000 is considered low.
“For the year of 2018, the council for the fundraiser decided to have a strategic and joint plan which we named Hevi with Rudaw Media Network being the media sponsor," said Dr. Dara Rasheed.
Sunday was World Cancer Day.
The KRG’s established a council for the Project Hevi (“Hope” in English) fundraiser to benefit cancer and has allocated $20 million to fight the disease and aid patients and their families.
Rasheed, who is chairing the fundraiser and prominent local physician, explained the aim of the project is to ease the burden on patients’ families as they often must pay large sums of money for specialized treatment in and outside the country.
Rasheed added it is a long-term plan, and for this inaugural year they have allocated $20 million to help pay for the expenses and medication of cancer patients.
“It is free of charge for all the cancer patients receiving medical treatment at cancer centers and hospitals,” he explained, adding they also aim to help cover the expenses of those going abroad.
Dr. Aras Bradosti, the head of the Rudaw’s Health Desk explained that the project is comprised four phases.
In the first phase, treatment is the priority.
The second phase, Bradosti explained, will be a comprehensive plan to spread health awareness. As per the plan, the council along with the Rudaw’s Health Desk will implement an awareness plan about the disease.
For the project, an email account will setup to receive research proposals. A scientific and academic board, in coordination with the Rudaw Research Center and other relevant parties from the KRG Ministry of Higher Education, will oversee the project.
The final phase will be dedicated to cancer prevention.
“Preventing cancer,” Bradosti said, “in the sense that we will implement all the international health measures and regulations to prevent cancer.”
Bradosti added that cancer patients can contact via Rudaw’s health section web portal, where there will be a banner
with Rudaw’s logo and KRG's council. There, they can click to fill out a form and submit their information. Once the data is received, the information will be sent to the committee for the cancer account and later the patients will be contacted.
People can also register in person at Nanakai Hospital in Erbil, Hiwa in Sulaimani, or Azadi in Duhok.
Asked how the $20 million was allocated, Bradosti said, it is funded through local taxes.
According to the KRG ministry of health, there were 4,808 reported cancer cases in the Kurdistan Region in 2017 – a rate of 92 cases in every 100,000 people. Of these, 905 were cases of breast cancer. As these are only the reported cases, it is possible the figure is actually higher.
A rate of 300 cases in every 100,000 is considered high on the worldwide scale, while a rate of 100 in every 100,000 is considered low.
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