BNP Paribas Singapore and the BNP Paribas Foundation (unavailable link) based in Paris, together with the National Cancer Centre Singapore “NCCS”, today announce the launch of the BNP Paribas-NCCS Regional Fellowship Programme. This collaboration between BNP Paribas and the National Cancer Center Singapore (NCCS) is the first of its kind for both organizations in Singapore.
This programme will provide post-graduate medical training for doctors who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients, in developing countries in Asia. It also aims to facilitate cross-border transfer of knowledge, skills and technology in the field of oncology, between NCCS and a partner medical institution from a regional developing country.
BNP Paribas will provide a grant of 90,000 Euros (approximately SGD $177,500) to the NCCS for the duration of three years, which will be used to support the training of two clinicians/surgeons and one research scientist. The developing country chosen for the inaugural fellowship programme is Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi).
Dr Vo Hoi Trung Truc from Cho Ray Hospital and Dr Do Tuong Huan from HCM City Oncology Hospital, have been selected after undergoing a rigorous process of evaluation by an expert panel. The third doctor has yet to be selected.
Jean-Pierre Bernard, Chief Executive Officer and Regional Head for South East Asia, BNP Paribas in explaining the motivation behind this fellowship programme said: “As a major international company we consider this commitment to be an integral part of our responsibility as a global citizen. We have chosen to support medical training in cancer because it has the highest growth and mortality rates in Asia. By supporting the training of a pool of doctors in specialist cancer care, we hope to nurture a culture of scientific inquiry and leverage on NCCS' expertise in cancer treatment & research.”
Martine Tridde-Mazloum, Head of the BNP Paribas Foundation based in Paris added, “At BNP Paribas, we strongly believe in health solidarity and have been actively funding work by researchers and physicians involving both medical research and clinical applications. We are pleased to partner with the NCCS, a reputable national cancer centre, which is strong in patient care and clinical research.”
Prof Soo Khee Chee, NCCS Director, in thanking the Foundation, said: “We are pleased to be able to collaborate with a reputable institution like BNP Paribas on this fellowship programme. Those picked for this training programme have to go through a stringent selection process as we want to pick candidates who can get the most out of the fellowship. Eventually we hope there will be a pool of doctors in the region who are trained to take good care of cancer patients.”
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is a European leader in global banking and financial services and is one of the 3 strongest banks in the world according to Standard & Poor's. The group is present in 85 countries, with more than 171,000 employees, including 131.000 in Europe. The group holds key positions in three major segments: Corporate and Investment Banking, Asset Management & Services and Retail Banking. Present throughout Europe in all of its business lines, the bank's two domestic markets in retail banking are France and Italy. BNP Paribas also has a significant presence in the United States and strong positions in Asia and the emerging markets.
About The BNP Paribas Foundation
Operating under the aegis of the Fondation de France, the BNP Paribas Foundation (unavailable link) promotes dialogue between the banking world and its environment. It focuses on three areas: culture, health and social solidarity. In the field of healthcare, the BNP Paribas Foundation assists researchers and doctors in the areas of medical research and clinical applications both in France and abroad. Drawing on the expertise of organizations recognized by the scientific community, its support often takes the form of financial assistance over a period of several years.
About National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)
The National Cancer Centre Singapore is a premier cancer research and treatment facility in Singapore and in the region. It was established in 1997 and sees about 68 per cent of the public sector medical oncology cases and 74 per cent of radiation oncology cases. NCCS not only houses the most number of oncologists in Singapore but is also equipped with the largest number of equipment to provide the latest radiation oncology care in Singapore.