Russia’s nuclear energy company Rosatom is in talks with the Nicaraguan government on a plan to build a nuclear medicine center in that country. Spain’s EFE news service reported Dec. 11 that a Nicaraguan delegation, led by Laureano Ortega, son of President Daniel Ortega and Special Representative for Russian Affairs, visited Moscow to be briefed on Rosatom’s capabilities and technological advances in treating cancer. The group was invited by Dr. Veronika Skvortova, head of Russia’s Federal Medical-Biological Agency, located in the city of Ulyanovsk. The delegation also visited the Federal Clinical Scientific Center of Medical Radiology and Oncology, which is part of the Medical-Biological Agency.
Nicaragua’s TN8 TV reported the same day that the mission’s purpose was to exchange information and experiences and discuss details of the design and content of the proposal to build a nuclear medicine center. Rosatom is making its experience and technology available to build the center. This would also involve training of personnel. It isn’t the first time the Nicaraguan government has worked with Russia’s Federal Medical-Biological Agency. In 2016 it joined with it and the St. Petersburg Scientific Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera to build the Mechnikov Biotechnology Institute in Managua, which today is the only institute in Central America producing influenza and other vaccines, including Covid, to improve the healthcare of the region’s population. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional office of the World Health Organization, cooperated and supported Mechnikov’s construction.