President Maithripala Sirisena visited the Australia’s nuclear agency, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO), today (May 26) on an inspection tour to see its advanced research on utilization of nuclear science for disease diagnosis and medication.

President Sirisena went to different sections of ANSTO, including the Nuclear Power generator.

ANSTO already provides nuclear technology based medicines to cancer patients in many countries. The research has found out the many effective nuclear technology based medicines for diseases such as thyroid cancer, prostate cancer and liver cancer.

Dr Paterson explained to the President that ANSTO could use nuclear technology to test the ground water for possible harmful minerals due to pesticides and suggest possible cancer treatments.

The ANSTO signed an MOU with the Presidential Taskforce for Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease to assist in the fight against chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu).

According to the Journal of Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine (2014), CKDu affects around 100,000 people, and is linked to 5,000 deaths every year.

Earlier, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia, Somasundaram Skandakumar, and the CEO of ANSTO, Dr Adi Paterson, signed an MoU that will see Australia provide new insights into the disease.

The signing took place at Australian Parliament House, Canberra, and was attended by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull MP.