Nanaimo: The B.C. government has announced a new cancer centre at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
On Friday, the government said a concept plan for a new cancer centre has been approved.
According to the province, in addition to a new cancer centre, hospital upgrades have been also approved, which includes renovating and expanding the existing community oncology clinic at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
This will increase the number of treatment spaces and exam rooms, and replace the current cancer outpatient pharmacy, the province said.
The project’s scope and budget will be determined in the business-planning phase, which is underway, the B.C. government said.
“The new cancer centre is expected to offer radiation therapy, an outpatient ambulatory care unit and a new PET/CT machine. Construction will also include a new radiation-treatment space with four shielded treatment rooms for high-energy radiation-treatment linear accelerators, which deliver high-energy X-rays or electrons to the region of a patient’s tumour,” the province added.
“Getting a cancer diagnosis can be some of the most difficult news someone gets in their life. We must ensure people in B.C. can get access to the care they need when they need it. That is why Nanaimo will soon be home to a new cancer care centre. This will bring the latest life-saving technology closer to the people of Nanaimo, as well as residents of the central and north Island,” said Premier David Eby.
“This new cancer centre will provide services people can rely on with the latest technology so a cancer-free future can be the reality for more people in B.C. Nanaimo is a rapidly growing community, so it’s important that we continue to meet the demand for health-care services as it evolves. The centre will be crucial in our approach of achieving sustainable cancer care, provincewide,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.