Cheaper cancer treatment

PM out to slash costs for cancer treatment

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi intends to perpetuate the work done by his late wife for cancer victims and has made it his personal mission to seek cheaper treatment for Malaysian patients.

The Prime Minister said that medicines for cancer treatment were now very expensive.

”The cost of cancer treatment is very high and I know the medicines are really expensive. It is my intention to make cancer treatment affordable to all.

“This should be our aim and this is what I want to work towards,” he told Parliament yesterday after Deputy Prime Mnister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tabled a motion to convey the MPs' condolences to the family of Datin Paduka Seri Endon Mahmood who died on Thursday.

‘The cost of cancer treatment is very high and I know the medicines are really expensive. It is my intention to make cancer treatment affordable to all' - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah said that when Endon, who suffered from breast cancer, was undergoing treatment overseas, she told him of her immense pain.

“Her illness really weakened her. But the lesson, I believe, is that there is already a stronger feeling among everyone on the need to overcome cancer.

“This can be through education and prevention, or having more treatments and types of medicine, which we hope, can be cheaper and more reasonably priced.”

Before she died, Endon had told him to ensure the completion of several projects she had started.

“God willing, I, together with o ur children, will help to ensure the success of the projects,” he added, while appealing to those involved in the projects to continue them as they were for the people's welfare.

“Endon was a loving, generous person who always wanted to help others,” he said.

He conveyed Endon's gratitude to those who had supported and helped her to carry out her charity works.

Among them were her Bakti colleagues, in particular her deputy Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, non-governmental organisations, ministers, officers and everyone else who had worked with her on her cancer awareness project and other projects promoting batik, songket, and family values.

“She could not thank them herself because she was ill. So, allow me to thank them all on her behalf. She really appreciated everyone's help and even when she was sick, she always spoke about this.”

Abdullah related how Endon was unable to complete several projects because of her illness but added that she was touched by the support she received from people.

“I believe that Endon would have also really appreciated it if I thank as well as seek forgiveness from those whom she could have hurt in any way.”

Earlier, Abdullah said he was deeply touched by the initiative to table the motion to convey the condolences in Parliament.

Source: The Star