Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing graces opening ceremony of National Cancer Center

Acting President of the Re-public of the Union of Myanmar, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing unveiled the signboard of the NCC and posed for documentary photos together with the attendees. The Senior General sprinkled scented water on the plaque of the new five-storey NCC building. The Prime Minister, union ministers and the chief minister did the same.

The Senior General and party arrived at the new eight-storey building and sprinkled scented water on the plaque of the new treatment ward.

Accompanied by the attendees, the Senior General looked around the radiotherapy rooms at the treatment ward, and looked into the requirements presented by the Union Minister for Health and medical professionals of the relevant rooms.

The second part of the ceremony was held at the meeting hall of the new eight-storey building. In his keynoted address, the Senior General said today, the NCC built with the State funds was opened, erecting an auspicious milestone of the nation’s health sector. He expressed pleasure and honour for opening the NCC as a gesture hailing the 2026 81^st Anniversary Armed Forces Day.

The Senior General said the government has been implementing the adopted objectives to strengthen the foundation of national future development. In doing so, it is practically materializing the objective: promote national health and education sectors in all seriousness for sustainable development of the State.

Health is the most basic cornerstone for human existence and human resources develop-ment as man will be able to learn and work only if he is healthy. Can national productivity, social stability and posterity development be enhanced, only if the people are healthy and strong. In this regard, the government is working with greater momentum to realize the aim: longevity of the people, disease free life and health and fitness.

He stated that it is widely recognized that significant health sector challenges were successfully overcome during the five-year tenure, noting that the global COVID-19 pandemic was managed in the first year through a unified effort of the government, staff, and the public under the policy that “nothing is more important than a human life.” He added that health workers demonstrated self-sacrifice and harmony in providing care during natural disasters such as Cyclone Mocha in 2023, Typhoon Yagi in 2024, and the Mandalay earthquake in 2025, which allowed the country to succeed despite these hardships. He concluded that because post-disaster health issues were prevented, recovery and rehabilitation efforts were able to proceed effectively and rapidly.

He also stated that regarding the fulfillment of health sector infrastructure, 25 public hospitals were upgraded within five years to eliminate the gap between urban and rural health-care and ensure equal access. He added that 12 new 16-bed hospitals were opened in rural areas to provide equitable services, and noted that high-quality buildings essential for hospitals were constructed, resulting in 41 new hospital buildings and staff housing units being completed during the five-year period.

Then, he stated that in upgrading the health sector, emphasis is being placed on meeting Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which aims for the long-term development of skilled health human resources. He noted that under the policy “where there is a hospital, there must be a doctor,” 2,649 new doctors, as well as dental surgeons, nurses, medical technicians, and public health staff, were appointed to every public hospital during the five-year period. Furthermore, he added that arrangements have been made for staff to attend local and international postgraduate courses to enhance their capacity, alongside promoting the ranks of nurses and upgrading nursing training schools into nursing institutes.

Later, he stated that the incidence of non-communicable diseases is rising significantly worldwide, with cancer becoming a major challenge for the health sector. According to World Health Organization data, there were approximately 20 million new cancer patients globally in 2022, resulting in about 9.6 million deaths. He noted that in Myanmar, the estimated risk of developing cancer before the age of 75 is 13.9 percent, making cancer prevention and control a critical national responsibility. To reduce mortality rates and ensure early detection and treatment, the “National Strategic Plan for Cancer Control (2023-2027)” has been drafted and is
being implemented as a national-level strategy for cancer prevention, control, and treatment.

He also stated that cancer treatment involves various therapies such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, noting that radiotherapy is a vital treatment for curing the disease and controlling its spread. He added that to reduce the waiting time for cancer patients to receive radiotherapy, special priority was given to the necessary funds for purchasing and installing radiotherapy machines. Consequently, he noted that Myanmar has now increased its capacity to 26 radiotherapy machines and 9 brachytherapy units currently in use for patient treatment.

He stated that seven new radiotherapy machines have been installed in major hospitals in Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw  since 2021,  bringing the total in public hospitals and departments under the Ministry of Health to five radiotherapy centers, 15 radiotherapy machines, and four brachytherapy units. He added that military hospitals are also providing  treatment with four radiotherapy centers, four radiotherapy machines, and one brachytherapy unit. Furthermore, he noted that the private sector has been
permitted to provide treatment using advanced radiotherapy equipment, with private hospitals now operating five radiotherapy centers, seven radiotherapy machines, and four brachytherapy units.

Then, he stated that the National Cancer Treatment Center opened today is intended to serve as a One-stop Comprehensive Care Center for cancer patients, providing both medical treatment and research capabilities. He noted that the State allocated over Ks-34 billion for the five-story and eight-story treatment buildings and radiotherapy rooms, more than Ks-12 billion for staff housing, and over Ks-30 billion within the 2024-2025 fiscal year for three new radiotherapy machines. Additionally, he mentioned that a machine donated by donors this year is valued at Ks-19 billion and expressed his gratitude for the donation.

Priority was given to construction of rooms for machines for radiation therapy patients. Therefore, treatments could be given to patients even before the completion of the centre after installing two radiotherapy machines in October, 2024 and another radiotherapy machine in January, 2025.  More than 50,000 radiotherapy and cancer treatments were given to 1,601 patients, significantly reducing the waiting time for patients for treatments. Moreover, since the completion of the buildings in July, 2025, inpatients have been admitted to the centre and treatments to 285 inpatients and 3,805 outpatients were given.

With the completion of the infrastructures, it is necessary to take measures to enhance the quality of treatments in accordance with their standards. I would like to urge responsible officials to promote cooperation with foreign experts, to consistently nurture radiotherapists  who will skillfully operate the machines and to accelerate research works in cooperation with the international community to establish the National Cancer Registry.

I would like to highlight that however modern and efficient the machines are, the skills and goodwill of human resources who will handle them play the most important role in successful treatments. As cancer patients may be suffering psychological impacts of their disease, healthcare staff are urged to take care of them warmly out of family spirit based on their three inherent personalities such as goodwill, academic pursuit and sacrifice and to make concerted efforts to make it a centre trusted by the people.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, it is necessary for the people to adopt healthy lifestyles, to reduce the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, to take vaccines for cervical cancer and hepatitis B and to identify diseases at the earliest time. Therefore, I would like to urge all to accelerate tasks for prevention of cancer in the entire country by joining the preliminary healthcare system.

I would also like to appreciate the all responsible officials from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Construction and Yangon Region Government who exerted efforts for successful completion of such modern buildings to provide better healthcare services to the people. As the National Cancer Center will be useful and beneficial for the people for the long term, it will remain as an historical milestone of the Ministry of Health and I wish all physical and mental wellbeing to accelerate the efforts to serve the interests of the people.

Then, the Senior General and party enjoyed the documentary video for the opening ceremony of the National Cancer Centre – NCC.

Afterward, the Senior General accepted the commemorative gift for the opening ceremony  of the NCC presented by the Union Minister for the Ministry of Health.

Then, the Senior General and family presented cash donations for the NCC to the Union Minister for the Ministry of Health.

Then, the Union Minister for the Ministry of Construction transferred documents related to the NCC to the Union Minister for the Ministry of Health, who returned a certificate of honour to the former.

Afterward, the Union Minister for the Ministry of Health spoke words of thanks for inauguration of the NCC.