The Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre yesterday opened its doors to its first 50 outpatients with the aim of completely replacing Boffa Hospital by May.
Excavation works on the new building, which cost some €52 million, were initiated in 2010. Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne estimated that the costs of running the hospital would hit €8 million a year.
The hospital contains 113 beds, in comparison with Boffa Hospital’s total of 78. While Boffa contained two outpatient clinics, the new hospital is furnished with 12. In addition, 47 new healthcare professionals have been engaged over the last few months.
Hospital chairman Stefan Laspina said that thanks to two state-of-the-art pieces of equipment commissioned from the Leeds Cancer Centre at a cost of some €20 million, patients will benefit from quicker and more precise radiotherapy.
The increased precision in the delivery of radiotherapy ensures that the rays destroy cancer cells without harming the surrounding organs.
1 – new case of cancer in Malta every four hours
The machines are also able to deliver stronger doses, thereby reducing the number of sessions required as well as the duration of each session, slashing the procedure from 15 minutes down to two or three.
Ensuing complications from radiotherapy will also be greatly reduced, while tumours which are currently being treated abroad can begin to be treated locally.
The hospital has also been furnished with a new MRI scanner, which will help slash waiting lists both for oncology patients and other patients. The government is also planning to set up a clinical trials uni,t which will give patients the option to try the latest medications not yet available on the market.
It is also planning to cater to autologous transplants (using stem cells) to treat different blood cancers such leukaemia and lymphoma. The hospital staff have also undergone training to better handle the new, sophisticated equipment as well as the modernised IT systems.
A cancer care pathway service has been set up, ensuring that patients and their families are followed thoroughly before, during and after the treatment process.
Mr Fearne said Malta sees 2,000 new cancer cases per year, which is the equivalent of a new case every four hours. The disease kills between 700 and 800 people each year. Prevention, Mr Fearne continued, was the first link in the chain of healthcare.
“We don’t know what causes some cancers, but we do know that smoking, alcohol, obesity and some microbes such as HPV are prime triggers.”
The second link in the chain was the detection of cancer in its early stages. People are being screened routinely for breast and colon cancers. Next year will see the introduction of cervical cancer screening for women aged between 25 and 35 years of age.
Palliative care was a crucial service for patients with terminal cancer. The new oncology hospital will have 16 beds reserved for such care.
The government, he added, was also looking into building a new rehabilitation facility.
Asked about parking, Mr Fearne said that 40 new slots have been created for employees of the new hospital.