An agreement for the construction of a new paediatric oncology centre in Nicosia was signed at the Presidential Palace on Saturday 15 February.
The project will be funded by the Cleanthous Foundation and it will cost €10 million.
Once operational, the facility will be taken over by the Organisation of Public Health Services (OKYPY). The future medical centre, which will be located next to the capital's main Makarios Hospital, will meet all international standards. It is worth noting that the President of Cyprus, Nicos Christodoulidis, was present at the event. The Health Minister was represented by Michalis Damianos, OKYPY by Marinos Kallis and the Cleanthous Foundation by Maria Haralambidou. The Cypriot President described the project as an important step forward and stressed its importance for the community.
This is not just a medical centre, it is an investment in life, hope and the future,' said Christodoulidis.
For her part, Maria Haralambidou, head of the Cleanthous Foundation, stressed that the signed agreement will create a place where children can dream, learn and, most importantly, recover. According to the press release, in addition to the medical wards, the centre will also include space for scientific research, so that Cyprus can become more involved in the study of paediatric oncology.
According to OKYPY, 42 cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed in Cyprus every year. In addition, there is an alarming trend among 15-19 year olds: the incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing by 7.6% per year, with girls being 3-4 times more likely to develop the disease than boys. Health Minister Michalis Damianos said the signing of the agreement on International Childhood Cancer Day was a symbolic event.
"This centre is not just a building, it is a step into the future, where cancer will no longer be a sentence," the Minister said.
The new cancer centre will not only be a place of treatment, but also an important scientific base that will contribute to the development of medicine and save the lives of young patients in Cyprus.
