At the Oncology Service, the first linear accelerator as the latest contemporary technology for high-precision multidisciplinary treatment of tumors has been installed. With this important investment, QSUT will significantly improve the radiotherapy treatment of cancer patients, benefiting about 60 patients per day and approximately 640 patients per year.
Today, on World Cancer Prevention Day, which this year comes with the meaningful message “I can, you can”, the Mother Teresa University Hospital Center in Tirana offers the completely reconstructed radiation therapy unit to Oncology patients.
The first Linear Accelerator has been installed as the latest contemporary technology equipment for high-precision multidisciplinary treatment of tumors. It is an investment worth 315 million lek, made possible by the Austrian credit.
The accelerator is placed in the new building (bunker with a capacity of two units), a government investment worth about 260 million lek, where another accelerator is expected to be placed next year.
With this important investment, QSUT will significantly improve the treatment of tumor patients with radiotherapy, benefiting around 60 patients per day and approximately 640 patients per year.
In the past two years, special attention has been paid to preventive measures and early detection of tumor diseases. Thus, during the year 2015, two mobile mammography units performed 4800 free preventive examinations for women living in areas where there are no stationary mammography units near their residence. Meanwhile, in all locations where stationary mammography units are available, 3317 preventive examinations were performed in 2014. Similarly, young doctors specialized in this field are being added to the medical staff in hospitals throughout the country.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of Health Ilir Beqaj, was today at QSUT. He met with the center’s leaders, as well as with the group of oncologist doctors and medical physicists who enabled the operation of the Linear Accelerator.
The Director of the University Hospital Center “Mother Teresa”, Ogerta Manastirliu, emphasized that the new radiotherapy unit is the most important investment for QSUT and announced that the first radiotherapy treatment will begin in early March. “It is the most important investment for the oncology service, a government-funded investment worth 260 million lekë in terms of the construction of spaces for the Linear Accelerator. Also, thanks to Austrian credit, the Albanian government has funded the Linear Accelerator, a state-of-the-art technology device that treats all patients diagnosed with malignant tumors with radiotherapy. In this radiotherapy unit, we can treat about 640 patients per year and perform about 60 therapeutic procedures per day. It is a center that will also function thanks to a multidisciplinary team, thanks to medical physicists who are currently testing this device, and we believe that we will have the first radiotherapy treatment in early March.”
The head of the Oncology Service stated that the renovated structure of the radiotherapy will significantly improve the service for these patients. “You see that it is a considerably improved infrastructure. A completely renovated equipment and structure that will advance the standards of treatment for our patients in oncology. This is good news for all of us, the patients, and their families.”
Emphasizing the government’s commitment to preventing tumor diseases, the Minister of Health, Ilir Beqaj, stated that the modern radiotherapy center is continuing to fulfill these commitments. “We are committed to giving special focus to tumor diseases and certainly, this new modern radiotherapy center is continuing to fulfill these commitments. Today, symbolically, we chose this day because February 4 is the World Day Against Cancer. In these two and a half years, we have made significant efforts, despite being aware that we need even more to greatly improve the service for these diseases. As of February 1, mammography is free for everyone, in any region, and it has not been like this before. This investment of 600 million is helping the Albanian citizens,” said Minister Beqaj.
Thanked for the work done, Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that modern contemporary standards will be aimed at in all healthcare institutions in the country, not only to improve service to patients but also to create optimal conditions for doctors to practice their humane profession.
“The best and most contemporary standards are being attempted to give doctors the opportunity to develop themselves as professionals, under conditions as close as possible to the conditions their colleagues have outside Albania. This center, for many years, has not been a university hospital center at all, but has been at the same time the hospital for all of Albania. The aim is to distribute the burden and have several levels. I think that the check-up will continue to provide data and help us create a first base. I think that the free service for family doctors this year is another good condition, but one that still needs to be strengthened, by helping to further educate family doctors, by stimulating the family doctor system, through investments there as well. Of course, beyond regional hospitals, this center should be an excellence center. This is also the goal for other parts of QSUT, which are still where this department was before this transformation. We will succeed. The plan is clear, the steps are known. We are not lacking in desire or courage. But above all, I say this with conviction, not formally, you have a good foundation to rely on, in human resources.” – said the Prime Minister.
Source: QSUT