Groote Schuur Hospital officially opens new R50 million Linac bunker
Today, the Western Cape Minister of Health, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, celebrated the opening of a brand new Linac bunker and acquisition of a CT simulator at Groote Schuur Hospital.
This new radiotherapy infrastructure represents a total investment by the provincial Health Department of more than R50 million.
Groote Schuur Hospital currently has 36 000 follow up patients that it sees in the Oncology Department at the hospital. The hospital also sees 3 000 new oncology patients every year, of which approximately 1500 will require radiotherapy either as curative or as palliative treatment for cancer. This indicates the high prevalence of cancer in the Western Cape.
The new Linac machine, located in the new bunker, will bring waiting times down to below 4 weeks, from the current 4-6 weeks. This is in line with international standards.
The Linac will be the 3rd radiotherapy treatment machine in the Radiation Oncology department at Groote Schuur Hospital. On average each patient receiving curative radiotherapy will require daily week-day treatments for a period of 6 weeks. Approximately 30-40 patients are treated daily on each machine.
In addition to conventional radiotherapy, this machine can also be used to deliver radiosurgery for a variety of malignant and benign conditions. This is a sophisticated treatment technique, allowing accurate dose delivery to the tumour or tumour bed, whilst allowing sparing of the surrounding normal tissue. This allows excellent tumour control rates while limiting the side effects of radiotherapy.
As Groote Schuur Hospital is also a regional referral centre for children with cancer who require radiotherapy, we have designed the new bunker with the infrastructure required for daily anaesthetics for these children. There is an attractive waiting area, with a special play area designed for children, and also a waiting area catering to the needs of adolescents.
At the same time the Oncology Department is also introducing a new CT simulator. The CT simulator is a radiotherapy imaging device used in radiotherapy planning. This machine will replace the aging CT machine in the radiotherapy department.
This machine has specifically been chosen as it is able to accommodate patients of almost all weights and sizes, in every position required for sophisticated radiotherapy techniques. The software allows for a variety of planning possibilities, and aids in the accurate planning and delivery of radiotherapy.
The Western Cape Department of Health is proud of the difference that this new equipment will make in the Province.
Media enquiries:
Luyanda Mfeka
Tel: 021 483 5862
Cell: 076 171 5978
Email: luyanda.mfeka@westerncape.gov.za
Alaric Jacobs
Tel: 021 404 2188
Cell: 083 412 5608
E-mail: Alaric.jacobs@westerncape.gov.za
