Collaboration to push cancer care in North Macedonia

Ilir Ismaili - Skopje State Hospital, Skopje, North Macedonia

Actually this is the first time that we are coming as a country here in this summit. Actually it is an honour to be part of this global communication and it is good, for example, to have this kind of knowledge to be shared by all the world, to have the same knowledge by oncology or radiotherapy.

How will being part of the C4 initiative help North Macedonia?

Actually it is good to be part of that because we, as a region in the Balkans, because we are there, we have good equipment, for example, but we need still, of course, normally to go further for these kinds of things. So as a country we are not very rich but we are in the middle of these kinds of richest countries. So normally all the time we need to be continued with education with a higher level of the institution.

Do you see yourself collaborating with people here at Harvard?

Of course. That is the main point, for example, to have this kind of collaboration between two institutions, let’s say between our institution and Harvard institution. Maybe to have this kind of collaboration, exchange knowledge between us and why not sometimes ask [?? 1:39] who came here in Harvard to have this good knowledge from these very kind and very good doctors here.

Would you describe North Macedonia as a middle income country?

Yes, we are in the middle. Actually, yes, we are in the middle income country. For that region we are a centre of excellence, let’s say, for radiation therapy. We have, as I said, good equipment, we have very good staff but normally we need all the time to go further with kinds of education.