Dhaka, Brussels partner up for cancer research

Bangladesh's National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital and Belgium's Bordet Cancer Institute at Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (HUB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in cancer care and research in Brussels today.

The MoU aims to foster strong partnerships between the two institutions, facilitating joint research, capacity building, and infrastructure development to advance cancer care expertise, reads a press release of the Embassy of Bangladesh, Brussels.

It will serve as a framework for collaboration in various areas of cancer research, including basic, epidemiological, prevention, diagnostic, screening, treatment, control, and survivorship studies.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union, Mahbub Hassan Saleh, signed the MoU on behalf of the national cancer research institute.

HUB Deputy Chief Executive Officer Francis de Drée, Chief Medical Officer Dr Jean-Michel Hougardy and Jules Bordet Institute Physician-in-Chief Dr Chloé Spilleboudt signed the MoU on behalf of HUB.

Established over 75 years ago, the Bordet Cancer Institute is a globally renowned multidisciplinary medical institution dedicated solely to cancer care.

This institute offers patients leading-edge diagnostic and therapeutic measures in the prevention, screening and active treatment of all types of cancer.

The Institute also carries out important research activities which every year leads to major discoveries, as well as providing high-level, specialised university training.

The MoU is the result of three years of discussion and negotiation between both sides, facilitated by the Bangladesh Embassy in Brussels.

Sharing details of the state-of-the-art facilities available at the Jules Bordet Institute, Francis de Drée said he and his team are very enthusiastic to start the collaboration with Bangladesh. 

Expressing happiness at the signing of the MoU, Ambassador Mahbub Hassan Saleh said that this MoU paves the way for Bangladesh to take a significant step forward in cancer treatment and research, as the country, under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, moves towards building a knowledge-based society leading to achieving her vision of a 'Smart Bangladesh' by 2041.