Celebrates 20th anniversary
ADDIS ABABA –Mathewos Wondu Ye-Ethiopia Cancer Society (MWECS) announced plan to commence Healthy Africa project to intensify efforts on preventing cancer and other non-communicable diseases.
In a presser held yesterday to mark 20thanniversary, Society’s Chief Executive Director Wondu Bekele stated that the project, which will be undertaken in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organizations, aimed at preventing cancer disease, controlling non-communicable diseases at early stage and providing better cancer medical treatment in the country.
The project will help to prevent non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia and reduce health care costs that patients spend for medical expenses traveling abroad, he said.
Up on completion, Healthy Africa project will have addiction rehabilitation, and research centers, hotel, recreation areas including sports ground, woods and lakes among others, he disclosed.
“The Society has submitted a letter to Addis Ababa City Administration to get land for the project to commence the construction of the center building soon,”Wondu said.
The Society has been working with the Ministry of Health for the last twenty years on the development and implementation of the National Cancer Control, National Childhood and Adolescent cancer Control Plan -the first of its kind in Ethiopia, he expressed.
MWECS has also been undertaking a lung cancer project for three years being implemented in Oromia, Amhara, Afar and Addis Ababa and also constructed PEN-Plus clinics in Oromia and Amhara states.
The Society covers cost of transportation and provides medicines and diagnostic laboratory services, food accommodation, psychosocial support, education to cancer patients, he added.
Currently, it is implementing 8 projects with over 1,400 members, 500 volunteersand30 staffs, Wondu stated.
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2024
