A multi-million rand imaging system centre for cancer patients has been launched at the Dr George Mukhari hospital in Garankuwa north of Pretoria.
The state-of-the-art centre is a first its kind on the African continent. The R36 million PET CT scan will now expedite diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from cancer.
The scan will also relieve patients from being referred to Steve Biko Academic Hospital where they had to endure long queues before getting help.
Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, says the centre will ease the burden for patients who won’t have to go to Steve Biko hospital for medical therapy. “What is important is that patients in the catchment population which includes the Northern parts of our province, North West and Limpopo used to go to Steve Biko for diagnosis and staging of cancer before treatment, so now they can have the services here,” says Ramokgopa.
The hospital, which caters for 1.7 million people has to date performed 280 procedures in 140 patients.
