The
hospital’s
biomedical
technician,
Vulindlela
Dube,
confirmed
the
development
to ZBC
News,
saying
the
work
is
being
done
carefully
to
ensure
the
facility
is
properly
prepared
for
the
new
technology.
Said
Dube:
“We
are
safely
decommissioning
the
old
machines
that
have
reached
the
end
of
their
operational
life.“This
process
ensures
the
facility
is
prepared
for
the
installation
of
the
new
low
and
high-energy
radiotherapy
machines,
which
will
significantly
improve
efficiency
and
reliability
in
cancer
treatment.”
Medical
Physicist
Charles
Matope
said
the
new
machines
will
improve
the
hospital’s
capacity
to
treat
cancer.
He
said:
“With
the
current
equipment
that
is
being
decommissioned,
we
were
constrained
in
terms
of
patient
numbers
and
downtime.
With
the
new
machines,
we
anticipate
treating
between
30
and
40
patients
daily,
compared
to
about
10
to
20
patients
after
a
fortnight
previously,
which
represents
a
significant
improvement
in
access
to
life-saving
care.”
This
is
expected
to
cut
waiting
times
for
treatment,
something
many
cancer
patients
have
struggled
with
in
the
past.
Phineas
Sithole,
Director
of
Operations
at
Mpilo
Central
Hospital,
said
the
new
radiotherapy
machines
come
with
backup
battery
systems,
allowing
them
to
keep
running
even
during
power
outages.
He
added
that,
combined
with
the
solar
power
system
already
in
place
at
the
hospital,
cancer
treatment
services
will
now
operate
without
interruption.
The
machines
were
purchased
using
funds
raised
from
the
sugar
tax
introduced
in
2024,
which
has
collected
over
US$60
million
cumulatively
since
its
launch,
according
to
government
officials.