Cancer hospital to be built in Agadir

Morocco's King Mohammed VI, who was accompanied by Saudi defense and aviation minister, Prince Sultane Ibn Abdel Aziz, laid down Thursday the foundation stone for the building of a regional cancer hospital in the Moroccan Atlantic city of Agadir.

The project, to cost 50 million DH (about $4.76 million), is financed by Prince Sultane Ibn Abdel Aziz, who is also second vice-president of the Saudi ministers' council and general inspector of the royal guard.

The health facility to extend over 5,900 square meters, will have a 40-bed capacity and will be endowed with sophisticated medical equipment. It will treat patients from Agadir and neighboring regions.

So far, between 3000 to 4000 cancer patients from the Agadir region used to go every year to Rabat or Casablanca for treatment. Cancer-caused deaths in the region are assessed at about 1,260 per year.