The EU will provide 85 per cent of funding for the state-of-the-art oncology centre being built next to Mater Dei Hospital, after the European Commission yesterday approved a government request for the funds.

The money will come out of the EU’s 2007-2012 allocation for Malta. The centre is expected to cost some €60 million and the EU will pay €41.5 million.

Since this is considered to be a “major project”, the funding required European Commission approval, an official from the EU executive said. “According to our rules, all projects which go beyond the €50 million mark are considered to be major projects and have to be approved by Brussels after being approved first by the national authorities,” the official explained.

Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn said he was delighted to see that the green light had been given to this excellent facility, which would benefit the lives of so many of Malta’s citizens.

“Figures show that cancer accounts for some 25 per cent of deaths in Malta and we must use EU investment to achieve concrete results and move in the right direction.”

The new facility, which will take over many of the functions currently carried out at Boffa Hospital, will have in-patient and out-patient units as well as diagnostic and treatment areas.

It will also provide services in adult oncology, palliative care and paediatric and adolescent oncology.

There will be haematology wards, currently located at Mater Dei, and a radioisotope unit together with new radiotherapy department, day care and general anaesthesia procedure facilities.