National Mechanism to Enhance Safety of Radiation Cancer Treatment

The Council of Ministers, chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him – approved a mechanism for integrating roles between the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission and the National Cancer Center at the Saudi Health Council to achieve nuclear and radiological regulatory requirements.

The mechanism aims to protect humans in medical practices of radiation therapy for cancerous tumors, while fulfilling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's international commitments. It includes the integration of roles between the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission and the National Cancer Center at the Saudi Health Council in monitoring the development of policies and regulations that ensure radiological safety in radiation therapy centers for cancer.

The mechanism also includes monitoring the impact of radiological safety and security policies and their positive role in reducing cancer rates, raising awareness of the health effects of radiation, and promoting safe practices, in addition to exchanging data and expertise, conducting studies on radiation effects and cancer diseases, and supporting training for specialists in radiation protection in medical radiological practices, contributing to enhancing patient safety and supporting national efforts for cancer prevention and control.

In this regard, the Secretary-General of the Saudi Health Council, Dr. Nahar bin Mazki Al-Azmi, said: The Council of Ministers' approval of the mechanism for integrating roles between the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission and the National Cancer Center at the Saudi Health Council to achieve nuclear and radiological regulatory requirements is an extension of the continuous support and empowerment that the health sector and cancer services, in particular, receive from the wise leadership - may God protect them - in various preventive, therapeutic, and social aspects, contributing to improving the quality and efficiency of health services.

Al-Azmi added that this mechanism solidifies the integration between the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission and the National Cancer Center, and supports building a more efficient national system for organizing and monitoring medical radiological practices, thereby enhancing the safety of patients and health practitioners, and ensuring the application of best national and international practices and standards in radiation protection.

It is noteworthy that the National Cancer Center at the Saudi Health Council seeks to develop services provided for cancer, combat its spread, monitor its developments, improve its comprehensive services, follow up on treatment outcomes, care for research and development, coordinate between health sectors and entities concerned with cancer and cancer patients, and contribute to national initiatives and programs to improve the quality of healthcare, in line with the goals of the Health Sector Transformation Program and Saudi Vision 2030.