Atomic energy for peaceful purposes [Archives:2006/915/Health]
Mahyoub Al-Kamali
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team headed by Technical Cooperation Program head K. Jean, visited Sana'a Jan. 20-23 praising the role and activity of Yemen's National Atomic Energy Committee (NAEC). The team pinpointed Yemen's needs in the field of peaceful atomic energy applications and material and technical assistance possibly offered to the NAEC. It also studied Al-Jumhury Hospital's cancer treatment center in Sana'a with the aim of establishing a similar unit at Al-Thawra Hospital in the future.
The delegation acquainted itself with NAEC factories and needs to improve their work in order to meet Yemen's peaceful atomic energy use requirements.
NAEC chairman Dr. Mustafa Bahran earlier noted that the international delegation would contribute to a document on Yemen's needs for peaceful atomic energy applications between 2006 and 2016. He clarified that the delegation's visit came due to world trends to benefit from peaceful atomic energy applications in industrial, agricultural, medical, hydrological, geological and environmental fields, as well as in power generation and water desalination.
In 1999, President Ali Abdullah Saleh decreed establishing the NAEC to undertake two major tasks: protect Yemenis against radioactive exposure and proliferate and expand peaceful atomic energy uses in various development areas, especially transferring radioactive and atomic technology suitable for serving Yemenis and their environment by benefiting from what humanity has achieved in various development fields. Thus, in this respect comes the importance of benefiting from the IAEA.
The NAEC has established a distinguished relationship with the IAEA. This relationship continued to grow from the beginning of simple radioactive protection developing into a larger working relationship including most fields of IAEA work.
Yemen is fifth in the world for volume of assistance received from the Technical Cooperation Fund for national projects and first in the Arab world, followed by Morocco and Egypt in second and third place. The IAEA granted Yemen 104 fellowships in eight atomic energy field between January 2001 and September 2005. In the same period, other opportunities such as training courses, scientific visits and workshops exceeded 300, in addition to a number of higher scholarships. The NAEC continuously receives apparatus and equipment free of charge, particularly for national or regional projects by the ministries of health, agriculture and other service establishments. Such equipment amounted to more than $500,000 in 2004.
The NAEC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population, plans and implements programs and projects aimed at fighting cancer as part of a comprehensive strategy not simply confined to treating existing cancer cases, but rather endeavoring earlier discovery of the disease by studying its causes and practices leading to it, as well as enlightening the public about those results.
In 1997, the Yemeni National Committee cooperated with the IAEA on a cancer treatment center building plan consisting of three major elements: building design, providing specialized radioactive treatment equipment and apparatus and training medical and technical personnel to use such technology efficiently and safely.
The committee also played a large role in animal health by developing the central veterinary laboratory to diagnose mostly bacterial and viral animal diseases. This is part of a special project currently implemented in the laboratory which also aims to upgrade its abilities to watch animal products and their content for remaining hormones and medicines given to them. This is considered an urgent matter, especially since anyone exporting Yemeni animal products is required to provide a certificate indicating the products are free of hormones and medicines.
Yemen is a valuable participant in IAEA conferences discussing atomic issues and it has been elected a member of the agency's Governors Council for 2005-2006. The council discusses world atomic issues or problems and meets five times a year to adopt relevant resolutions and recommendations, as it represents the highest IAEA authority, after the general conference held twice a year. Yemen also was elected deputy chairman of the general conference at its 48th ordinary session September 2004. Such participation illustrates that NAEC cooperation with the IAEA is not only restricted to receiving assistance.
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