In a significant development for Pakistan’s healthcare sector, the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Lahore (INMOL) has been designated as a collaborating centre by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), becoming part of its global network.
The recognition was formalised following an agreement signed in Vienna, with a commemorative plaque presented to the institution to mark the occasion.
The agreement was signed by Ishaq Dar and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a high-level ceremony.
Officials said that cancer hospitals operated by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) continue to serve as a vital source of treatment for patients across the country, reflecting international confidence in Pakistan’s capabilities in oncology. They added that five institutions from Pakistan have now been designated as IAEA collaborating centres, terming the achievement a matter of national pride.
According to INMOL’s administration, the recognition highlights the institution’s commitment to research, training and quality patient care.
Separately, a state-of-the-art HyperArc machine, valued at Rs1.4 billion, has been inaugurated at the hospital. The facility provides treatment to approximately 150,000 patients annually and is equipped with advanced linear accelerators and imaging systems.
Over the years, the institution has trained hundreds of oncologists, medical physicists and technologists. The PAEC currently operates a network of 21 cancer hospitals nationwide, collectively treating more than one million patients each year.
