Addis Ababa, July 7, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia is making commendable strides in expanding cancer treatment and radiotherapy services, even as significant disparities in radiation medicine persist across low- and middle-income countries, according to officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health.
Dr. Hiwot Solomon, Lead Executive Officer in Charge of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, told local news agency ENA that Ethiopia has been actively working to scale up life-saving oncology services with support from the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative, launched in 2022 to assist countries with limited resources in strengthening cancer care infrastructure.
Describing the initiative as “still in its infancy but filled with great ambition,” Dr. Hiwot emphasized its goal of increasing radiotherapy capacity in underserved regions. “Radiotherapy diagnosis and treatment is a complex and resource-intensive task—one that requires strong partnerships. The IAEA has played a vital role in enabling Ethiopia and other countries to access this crucial technology,” she said.
Currently, Ethiopia operates five radiotherapy centers, with plans underway to expand services nationwide to address both geographic disparities and the country’s growing cancer burden.
“The government is investing in this sector with budget allocations and strategic guidance from the IAEA and its Rays of Hope initiative,” she added.
In parallel with expanding radiotherapy services, Ethiopia has intensified community-level cancer prevention and early detection efforts.
Dr. Hiwot reported that cervical cancer screening is now available at over 1,500 health facilities across the country, and more than one million girls have been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer.
Capacity building also remains a top priority. In collaboration with domestic institutions and the IAEA, over 20 health professionals—including nurses, oncologists, and medical physicists—have been trained in key areas of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine.
Echoing Ethiopia’s progress, Gashaw Gebayehu, Director of the Division for Asia and the Pacific within the IAEA’s Department of Technical Cooperation, acknowledged the rapid expansion of the Rays of Hope program across Africa.
“Since its launch, the initiative has supported two waves of countries—about 20 in total—in establishing and strengthening radiation medicine services. New cancer centers are also expected to open soon in Malawi and other African nations,” he noted.
However, Gashaw underscored that major challenges remain. “Despite the increasing cancer burden, a significant gap still exists in access to radiation medicine across low- and middle-income countries,” he warned. “These countries often lack adequate resources, trained professionals, and radiation safety infrastructure—elements that are essential for the safe and effective delivery of radiotherapy.”
To bridge these gaps, the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Program delivers comprehensive support through training, technical guidance, equipment provision, and strategic partnerships.
“We are working to build foundational services such as nuclear medicine, diagnostic radiology, biotherapy, and medical physics, which together form the backbone of sustainable cancer care systems,” Gashaw explained.
As Ethiopia pushes forward with its national cancer control strategy, its growing collaboration with the IAEA continues to serve as a model for how global partnerships can help close healthcare gaps and improve patient outcomes in resource-constrained settings.