Dunedin Hospital is set to get a new linear accelerator as $6.3 million fund has been approved by Health Minister Tony Ryall to Southern District Health Board for its purchase.

Linear accelerators are used for radiation treatment of cancers and radio surgeries. A linear accelerator delivers a uniform dose of x-ray to targeted cancer cells which destroys them without causing harm to adjoining tissues. This intense beam is used treat tumors, blood vessel abnormalities and acoustic neuromas.

Dunedin is the only hospital that provides radiosurgery in New Zealand. The new linear accelerator will replace the 17- year-old machine whose productivity is just 50% of other two accelerators in function.

Gary Reed, Oncology Service Manager said that radiation therapy services will not be affected during its installation as the other two accelerators will work overtime during that period. It will take nearly 9 months for new machine to become operational. The plan is to spend $6 million for project and purchase new machine through tender.

This will be the ninth new linear accelerator in last two years that is approved by the National Government. Health Minister Tony Ryall said that it is the part of the Government’s extra investment of $1.2 billion in health area that aims to improve key public health services.