Makna Plans Collaboration With Foreign Researchers To Improve Cancer Treatment Methods

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- The National Cancer Council (Makna) plans collaboration with foreign researchers in order to improve techniques and methods of cancer treatment in Southeast Asia. Makna founder and president Mohd Farid Ariffin said to this end, Makna would open treatment centres in Southeast Asian countries in three years. "It is high time for Makna to help cancer patients in Southeast Asia with the help of organisations over there while helping patients in this country. "We will also upgrade research to find more cure for this disease. Makna will always help in all aspects," he told reporters at Makna Cancer Research Awards 2012 ceremony at Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) here on Tuesday. This year, four researchers registered with ASM received awards in the form of grants of RM15,000 to RM30,000 presented by Deputy Secretary-General (Science) of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Dr Khatijah Mohd Yusoff. (US$1=RM3.05) Farid said it was founded in 1995, Makna's main agenda was cancer research apart from giving financial aid to cancer patients. Since 2001, Makna had allocated RM10.3 million in grants to 36 researchers in the country to conduct research on cancer. "Makna wants to contribute by creating centres in each Southeast Asia country and European Union (EU) countries in order to help cancer patients worldwide." Since 1996, Makna had helped treatment cost of 24,000 cancer patients nationwide at a cost of RM46 million. The number involved cancer cases from 88 government hospitals nationwide. - BERNAMA