BOROVLYANY, 26 October (BelTA) –Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko believes that the national cancer care system should prioritize the improvement of early detection of cancer. The head of state made this statement as he visited the National Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Borovlyany on 26 October, BelTA has learnt. “Why let the disease reach a deadlock from where there is no way out,” the President said addressing Director of the center Olga Aleinikova. He encouraged doctors to seek help from the authorities to improve the examination and early detection of cancer, first of all, in children. “Children should not die. This is our central task, and we should do our utmost to fulfill it, no matter how much money or facilities it needs. Children are the number one priority,” the President said. The head of state asked Olga Aleinikova what else should be done to enhance the efficiency of cancer prevention and care. According to her, a lot has been done over the recent years, and Belarus has advanced to the Europe’s top ten in terms of cancer care. The only thing that is missing is a positron emission tomography (PET) device which is essential for the early detection of this disease. It costs about ?6 million, but only one device is needed for the entire country. The President was assured that this issue will be resolved in the near future. Talking about the achievements of Belarus’ pediatric cancer care, Olga Aleinikova said that when she started working as an oncologist over 30 years ago, the average life expectancy of a child with cancer was about a month. Now almost 75% of children diagnosed with cancer recover completely. The Director of the center said that a 100-bed hotel will be built near the center soon. The hotel will accommodate parents of children who undergo treatment at the center. The head of state praised the idea. He underlined that parents should have an opportunity to be with their sick children. Talking about the overall development of Belarusian medicine and cancer care in particular, Alexander Lukashenko noted that money should be channeled into the most important and urgent projects. The Belarusian President visited several departments of the center, a surgical unit, talked to patients and their parents. He saw a playing room where children had classes. Thanks to individual training, children are able to come back to their class after they are discharged from the hospital. There were two laptops in the playing room; the laptops are the gift of the Belarusian President to the center. The Internet gives an additional opportunity for children to talk with their parents. During the visit to the center, Alexander Lukashenko talked to a girl who was treated here several years ago and has completely recovered. The center offers qualified medical care up to 5,000 patients a year. БЕЛТА
Written by belta.by
