IAEA, Honduras and Japan join forces to strengthen Cancer Care Access through Rays of Hope

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Government of Honduras and the Government of Japan have joined forces to expand radiotherapy services and improve cancer care in the Republic of Honduras under the IAEA’s flagship Rays of Hope initiative.

This tripartite cooperation was formalized during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly which is taking place this week in New York, with the signature of a Letter of Intent by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Honduras, Eduardo Enrique Reina García.

Under this tripartite cooperation, Japan will consider, when and where appropriate, offering contributions, including facilities, equipment and infrastructure, to expand radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy facilities in Honduras as well as capacity-building, while the IAEA will explore resources and offer technical expertise and guidance to expand radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services in the country. Honduras, as the recipient, will work towards increasing access to life-saving cancer diagnosis and treatment, helping to address the growing burden of cancer in the region.

This Letter of Intent follows the IAEA Director General Grossi’s visit to Japan in March this year, in which he commended the Diplomatic Initiative toward Latin America and the Caribbean launched by Foreign Minister Kamikawa in February 2024, which underscores Japan’s unwavering support in the region. It builds on the long-standing cooperation between the IAEA and the Government of Japan to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy to support development around the world. This cooperation has seen a deeper commitment with Japan’s support for the IAEA initiative “Rays of Hope – Cancer Care for All”, launched by Director General Grossi in February 2022.

Under the Letter of Intent, the following areas of cooperation are included: enhancing facilities, equipment and infrastructure to expand radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy facilities, as well as support in capacity-building through the engagement of multidisciplinary teams of professionals involved in the practices of radiology radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, as appropriate.

“Today’s signing of the Letter of Intent will further help to bring life-saving cancer care to those who need it the most. From the beginning, Japan has been a very strong and generous supporter of Rays of Hope, helping to reduce global imbalances in the access to such care,” Director General Grossi said.

The Rays of Hope initiative is helping low- and middle-income countries establish and expand access to radiation-based medical services, including diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy. Through this initiative, the IAEA, together with its donors and partners, are working to address inequities in cancer treatment and improve survival rates through early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. So far, 86 countries have reached out to the Agency for support under Rays of Hope and concrete actions have been initiated in more than 30 Member States.

In Honduras, the most common cancers require radiotherapy, but many patients have limited or no access to these services in public healthcare institutions. The high cancer mortality rate has prompted President Xiomara Castro to make the availability of specialised radiation therapy equipment and the training of experts a top priority.

Honduras is one of the first eight countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region to receive assistance through the Rays of Hope initiative. Honduras will soon receive mammography equipment and a linear accelerator to deliver life-saving radiotherapy treatment.

This tripartite cooperation is expected to greatly improve the availability and quality of radiation therapy in Honduras and represents the strong commitment of the parties to help save lives and address the disproportionate burden of cancer.

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