Armenian government and IBA Molecular Company signed an agreement on purchase of a proton accelerator

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian government and IBA Molecular Company signed an agreement in Yerevan today on the purchase of a proton accelerator.

Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan informed that Armenian government also signed an agreement on provision of a loan at the sum of 5mln EUR with Belgian KBC bank for the term of 11 years with 3 years’ period of grace at the interest rate of 0%.

The total cost of proton accelerator makes 7mln EUR; however the Belgian government subsidized the purchase, providing a grant at the volume of 2mln EUR.

Executive Director of National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia (NCFA) Pegor Papazian stated that Armenian oncological center of excellence will be set up on the basis of Yerevan Institute of Physics after Alikhanyan. Here they plan to implement positron-emission tomography, which is the most advanced method of medical radioisotopic diagnosis, allowing revealing presence and spreading of oncological illnesses with up to 98% accuracy.

Pegor Papazian informed that the launch of the program will take place in early 2011, and the launch of the accelerator is planned in 18 months after signing of the agreement.

Speaking of tariffs for diagnosis and treatment of people, suffering from cancer, Pegor Papazian stated that the entire process will cost approximately 1000 USD or EUR, and this is far cheaper, as compared to treatment abroad, where about 600 citizens of Armenia head every year to receive treatment of oncological illnesses.