Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano visited El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua discussing different uses of nuclear technology besides in energy generation, the IAEA announced this week.
Discussions in all three countries focused around cancer treatments utilizing radiation and how the IAEA offers support for the development of national cancer treatments. The announcement highlights in El Salvador specifically, the collaborative efforts between the IAEA, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and their work in developing cancer control policies.
Control methods for mosquitoes were also among the topics for discussion in order to help prevent the further spread of the Zika virus, including insect sterilization techniques.
These countries do not house any nuclear reactors and each has not pursued the utilization of nuclear generation for electricity.
Amano also called on all three governments to ratify the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material’s amendment that would increase domestic obligations in order to prevent illicit use of radioactive material internationally.
The IAEA states that it also supports national efforts relating to agriculture, food and water safety in addition to health- and nuclear security-related areas on an international scale.
