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Friday 24 January 2014

HRH Princess Lalla Salma Inaugurates Adult Hematology, Oncology Unit For Treatment Of Blood Cancers At '20 August 1953' Hospital In Casablanca

HRH Princess Lalla Salma Inaugurates Adult Hematology, Oncology Unit For Treatment Of Blood Cancers At '20 August 1953' Hospital In Casablanca

HRH Princess Lalla Salma, Chairwoman of the Lalla Salma Foundation of Cancer Prevention and Treatment, inaugurated on Tuesday the adult hematology and oncology unit for the treatment of blood cancers, at "20 August 1953" hospital of Ibn Rushd university hospital center in Casablanca.

HRH Princess Lalla Salma visited the protected unit which includes offices of the head nurse and the doctor, a patient care room, a pharmacy, protected area I (12 rooms), a visitors area, and protected area II (6 rooms).

   This service is responsible for the specialized care for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as well as the training of specialists and researchers in this field. It is part of a partnership agreement between the Lalla Salma Foundation, the Regional Council of Casablanca, the Prefectural Council, the city council, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), the Ministry of Health, and Ibn Rushd University Hospital Center.

   AML is rare in children. It constitutes 80–85% of acute leukemia in adults, and its incidence increases with age. There are about 1,500 new cases in Morocco. Due to its specificity, treating AML should take place in specialized hematology units by skilled clinical hematologists and qualified nurses. The treatment of these patients should be in special facilities with "clean" rooms, endowed by a technical platform of biological hematology, microbiology and mycology.

   The first of its kind in Morocco, the protected 18-bed unit provides "clean" beds which lower the risk of infections thanks to air treatment designed to protect fragile senior patients.

   The 10-million dirham unit will accommodate up to 400 new cases per year, improve treatment outcomes to reduce early infection-related mortality.

   On this occasion, HRH Princess Lalla Salma posed for a souvenir photo with the staff of this unit.

   On her arrival, HRH Princess Lalla Salma was greeted notably by Minister of Health, El Hossaine Louardi, Wali of Casablanca and Governor of the Prefecture of Casablanca, Khalid Safir, chairman of the regional council of Casablanca, Mohamed Shafik Benkirane, director of Ibn Rushd University Hospital, Moulay Hicham Afif, and the executive director of the Lalla Salma Foundation for Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Rachid Bekkali.