The Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital (AKPH), held the official opening of a radiation therapy centre last month, bringing state-of-the-art radiation therapy closer to patients living in Lenasia, Soweto, Westonaria, and Carletonville.
Dr. Jacques Snyman, chief executive officer of Medical Specialist Holdings (MSH), which was formed in 2016 to streamline the business activities of Equra Health and Isimo Health, said that the radiation therapy unit at the AKPH is the 27th such facility to be installed by Equra Health.
“The installation of these facilities, fitted with sophisticated linear accelerator equipment, brings effective, modern cancer treatment closer to where patients live and work,” he said.
Snyman noted that radiation therapy is usually administered for around 10 minutes a day for a period of six weeks.
Because the therapy does not typically make patients feel ill, they could, in fact, continue working during their treatment, making proximity to treatment facilities important, he added.
“MSH’s focus on patient-centric, value-based care has informed the roll-out of up-to-date facilities at all centres and strategically-placed centres of excellence around the country.”
Patients in Lenasia and southern Gauteng, who previously would have had to travel over 30 km to Johannesburg, Sandton or Vereeniging for radiation therapy, will now benefit from the close proximity to highly advanced facilities and skilled staff.
The new radiation therapy unit at Ahmed Kathrada Hospital has the capacity to treat 40 to 45 patients per day within office hours but could extend to treating 50 to 60 patients a day if manned after hours too.
The unit is manned by a team of highly skilled radiation therapists, and oncologists currently treating at the centre include Dr. Sudeshen Naidoo, Dr. Nirasha Chiranjan, Dr. Bhavna Singh and Dr. Sithembile Ngidi. The hospital also has consulting space available and welcomes referrals from oncologists practicing across the region.
The Linear Accelerator installed at Ahmed Kathrada Hospital is an Elekta Synergy Platform, a highly precise and effective dual process digital accelerator which provides a range of both x-ray and electron energies for external beam radiotherapy.
Remote planning across the Gauteng region will be done through making use of the planning systems such as Monaco Sim & Xio.
“As with all of our facilities, the new unit at Ahmed Kathrada private hospital is designed to deliver excellence in patient care, using the latest technologies and treatment modalities to drive better clinical outcomes for our patients,” said Snyman.
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