The Eastern Cape Department of Health (ECDH) has procured the highly sophisticated cancer treatment equipment called Linac for R60 million.
Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo says this machine will be used at Livingstone Hospital in Gqeberha to complement other treatment modalities for cancer patients like surgery and chemotherapy.
He says the department is also rolling out a big cancer screening program as part of its strategy to focus on both prevention and early cancer detection.
The aim is to link Linac with other similar machines at Frere and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital by 2025.
Meanwhile, a state-of-the-art Oncology unit is also being built at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha.
He says the multi-million rand cancer ward will serve patients from the entire eastern side of the province with a specialist already appointed to establish an ecology clinic pending the completion of the ward.
