A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in cancer care and research between the institutions of Bangladesh and Belgium was signed in Brussels on Monday.

The MoU was inked between the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), Bangladesh, and Bordet Cancer Institute at Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (HUB), Belgium.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, Mahbub Hassan Saleh, signed the MoU on behalf of NICRH.

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

According to a press release received from the Bangladesh Embassy in Belgium, the MoU aims to foster a strong partnership between these two institutions for conducting joint research activities and bringing specific expertise on cancer care through capacity building and infrastructure development.

This MoU will be a tool for collaboration in cancer research, including basic, epidemiologic, prevention, diagnosis, screening, treatment, cancer control and survivorship research, read the release.

Bordet Cancer Institute, an internationally reputed multidisciplinary medical institution in Belgium for more than 75 years, is dedicated entirely to the fight against cancer. 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-start 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 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.