Elekta has won a tender to supply several Harmony linear accelerators (linacs) to Ukraine, aiming to alleviate the country’s cancer treatment shortage. These modern radiation therapy devices will be operational by 2024, enhancing cancer care across many provinces and at Kyiv’s National Cancer Institute. Despite challenges during the war, Elekta managed to maintain treatment continuity, supporting both local and refugee patients, and ensured high equipment uptime through IntelliMax remote support and dedicated crisis assistance.
Elekta emerges as the winner in a public tender, set to provide numerous Harmony linear accelerators to address the rising demand for cancer treatments in Ukraine.
In light of recent events, the collaborative effort of clinical professionals, Elekta staff, and our distributor has been noteworthy. They have strived relentlessly to ensure uninterrupted radiation therapy treatments during the war. Now, in alliance with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, we’re introducing contemporary radiation therapy systems. The first units are projected to serve patients by 2024. These Harmony systems will find their place in multiple provinces of Ukraine, including the prestigious National Cancer Institute in Kyiv.
Pre-war statistics revealed a stark deficit in radiation therapy in Ukraine – a crucial treatment for over half the country’s cancer patients. The conflict resulted in only half the hospitals equipped with Elekta linacs being operational due to damages.
In response, Elekta promptly aided cancer centers in neighboring countries, including Poland, Romania, and Moldavia. This assistance provided solace for Ukrainians in exile, enabling many to persist with their cancer therapies. For operational hospitals, Elekta instituted a complimentary service line for crisis assistance and remote services, also ensuring delivery of essential parts when feasible. This endeavor has borne fruit, with more clinics resuming treatments and linacs demonstrating increased reliability post-invasion.
Initially, due to infrastructure constraints, Elekta’s support was predominantly remote via IntelliMax – a system permitting remote monitoring of machine status. On one occasion, this system enabled an Elekta technician in Poland to remotely troubleshoot and guide a hospital team in Dnipro, Ukraine, restoring their machine’s functionality.
The newly procured Harmony linacs, in line with Elekta’s commitment, will also feature IntelliMax capabilities. This will further modernize radiotherapy techniques, making the entire process more efficient.
Ardie Ermers, Elekta’s Executive VP for Europe, remarked: “With these additional Harmony linacs, we aim to enhance radiation therapy accessibility for nearly a million Ukrainians diagnosed with cancer. We remain dedicated to offering hope and top-tier cancer care to the Ukrainian community.”
