38 deaths, 64 new cancer patients detected daily

38 deaths, 64 new cancer patients detected daily

64 Sri Lankans are diagnosed with cancer every day, said Minister Dullas Alahapperuma adding 38 people die of cancer daily.

The health sector in the country is now facing a threat of spreading non-communicable diseases, he said speaking in an event last week.

He said that a proposal to locally manufacture medicines against cancer and  implement a mechanism for early detection of cancer was discussed in the cabinet meeting.

He said that the Cabinet has approved a proposal to establish a radioactive drug manufacturing center at the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital in Werahera.

The drug manufacturing centre will produce Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), a drug used in PET and CT scans to identify cancer cells in the body.