Saudi Arabia Commits USD 2.5M for 'Rays of Hope' Cancer Initiative

The Saudi Ministry of Energy has signed an MoU with the International Atomic Energy Agency in support of its 'Rays of Hope' initiative, a global program to expand radiotherapy cancer treatments across its member states. As part of the agreement, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will provide USD 2.5 million in financial support to establish specialised centres for diagnosing and treating cancer.

According to a statement from the ministry, while radiation therapy is considered an important tool in treating cancer, only 10% of patients in low-income countries and 50% to 60% of patients in middle-income countries have access to it.

When it was launched in 2022, 'Rays of Hope' initially targeted seven African countries. Since then, more than 70 nations have contacted the program to improve their access to radiology medicine.