Osama Hammad, the Prime Minister appointed by the House of Representatives, has issued a decision to form a technical committee to investigate the causes of increasing cancer rates. This decision, outlined in Resolution No. 121 of 2024, was announced on the government’s Facebook page.
Committee Composition
The committee will be chaired by the Minister of Health and will include the Ministers of Agriculture, Environment, and Higher Education and Scientific Research (acting), the Director General of the Food and Drug Control Center, and representatives from the Nuclear Research Center and the Atomic Energy Corporation.
Committee Tasks
According to the second article of the decision, the committee will urgently investigate the causes of the rising cancer rates, particularly in the eastern region. They will conduct comprehensive tests in collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure that no carcinogenic or banned substances are present in the industrial composition of consumer goods, medicines, and agricultural and veterinary pesticides.
Additional Powers and Deadlines
The committee is authorized to visit areas with high cancer rates, conduct nuclear surveys, and identify the reasons for the disease’s spread, which is nearing epidemic levels. This urgent investigation aims to utilize all resources to mitigate the issue. The committee is required to submit a report on its findings within fifteen days from the date of the decision’s issuance.
Right to Seek Assistance
Under the third article of the decision, Hammad has granted the committee the right to seek assistance from any relevant public authorities necessary to accomplish its tasks.