The Government of Iceland agreed last week to propose at the Icelandic parliament, Alþingi, ISK 600 million (USD 4.7 million, EUR 3.7 million) additional funding for purchasing new equipment at the Landspítali national university hospital next year.

“The reason for us doing this now is that after having had to make cutbacks due to the crisis in past years the outlook is finally brighter and with the flexibility being created we decided that funding was severely needed there,” commented Minister of Finance Katrín Júlíusdóttir to ruv.is.

Director of Landspítali Björn Zoëga welcomes the decision. “I’m very satisfied. We have fought for it at the hospital for a long time that there is understanding for us needing at least one billion per year for the next three years to keep status quo.”

If the additional funding is approved, a linear accelerator for cancer radiation therapy will be among the first new equipment acquired by the hospital; the first equipment could arrive in February or March.

The funding would come in addition to the ISK 262 million earmarked for the hospital for such purchases in the 2013 budget bill. The combined ISK 862 million budget is double the amount intended for purchasing hospital equipment this year.

In addition to the amount stated in the 2012 budget, ISK 262 million, Landspítali will be allocated ISK 150 million from the 2012 additional budget, as recently announced.

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ESA