The migration of patients from Boffa Hospital to the new Sir Anthony Mamo oncology centre outside Mater Dei Hospital has started today, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne said.

Today, the first phase of the oncology centre, the outpatients, was inaugurated. A bridge has also been built, linking Mater Dei to the centre.

He said that 2,000 new cases of cancer are registered each year, with the amount of deaths ranging between 700 and 800, meaning six cases a day and one case every four hours.

The oncology centre, which is to cost €52m, 85% of the funds being EU-funded, will see recurring costs reach the eight-million-euro-mark annually.

Dr Stefan Laspina, who is the Clinical Chairperson of Haematology and Oncology, highlighted that the biggest improvement is the fact that two radio therapy treatment machines have been commissioned by the Leeds Cancer Centre which will help reduce the duration of treatment, as short as two minutes when treating certain tumours, and the radiation is localised.

He said that the radiation will not cause harm to the periphery of a tumour. Dr Laspinia also pointed out that certain tumours which were treated in hospitals overseas in the past, can now start to be treated here. He said that in future, a clinical trials unit will also be set up.

Mr Fearne said that the equipment cost €20 million, “funds which the government had no problem forking out for the benefit of cancer patients”.

He remarked that when the PL started to govern, it found that works tied to the oncology centre were far behind. Mr Fearne said that the centre will ensure that patients with tumours which cannot be healed will live the rest of their days confortably and without any suffering. For those who make it through, a rehabilitation clinic will also be made available.

Sina Bugeja, Special Projects CEO, said that the migration is being made possible with the help of all professionals involved, be it health or ICT.

She said that the excavation works on the new hospital started in 2010 but construction works kickstarted two years later.

Ms Bugeja also pointed out that the atmosphere for cancer-stricken patients has drastically improved, and for staff also.