President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has appealed for financial resources for the construction of cancer treatment centres and hospitals across the country as way of saving lives as well as forex used on cancer patients who seek treatment outside the country.

President Chakwera said this on Tuesday when he addressed the 2022 Scientific Forum on the margins of the 66th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The forum is being held under the theme Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All.

Malawi has partnered with the IAEA under the Rays of Hope initiative aimed at supporting the treatment of cancer in participating African countries through radiation and introduction of nuclear medicine.

Chakwera said Malawi continues to collaborate with the IAEA towards the setting up cancer treatment centres, and looks forward to harnessing collaborative efforts with IAEA to mobilise financial resources to build, equip and maintain the infrastructure needed to treat cancer and to train specialists, health professionals and technicians.

"My country needs this initiative, which has already made strides towards establishing cancer treatment centres in Malawi, as well as the development of Malawi's first radiotherapy centre," he said.

He urged all leaders to join forces in pooling resources together for this cause.

To date 12 million Euros has been raised under the initiative.