Odisha: Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to get Medical Cyclotron Unit at cost of Rs 150 cr

Bhubaneswar: To provide quality cancer care to patients in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved a proposal for the establishment of a state-of-the-art Medical Cyclotron unit in the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital (TMCH) being established in the NISER campus at Jatni, an official said. 

The state government would fund up to Rs 150 crore for the purpose. The unit would add to Odisha becoming a research and applications hub of Medical Cyclotron in the entire South East Asian region, Health and Family Welfare secretary, Shalini Pandit said on Thursday.

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Replying to a media query about the unit, Pandit said: "Medical Cyclotron unit will produce radioactive isotopes required for critical imaging procedures such as PET scan for treatment of cancer and other critical ailments. Presently, Odisha obtains isotopes on a daily basis from Hyderabad, Mumbai or Kolkata and the isotopes remain effective for only a few hours… ".

The Health Secretary said the proposed state-of-the-art Medical Cyclotron facility would be unique to the entire South East Asian region. It would be "operated by NISER in close collaboration with TMCH, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata, Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, Department of Atomic Energy and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.

Official sources said that the outcomes of this world-class standard facility would include, the production of medically useful radioisotopes, South East Asian regional facility for research and development in the area of nuclear medicine, a national facility for research and development in the areas of basic sciences, skill development of human resources for applied science courses, and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

In another development towards Universal Health Care, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also approved the provision of the "Corpus Fund" for hiring super specialists and specialists doctors on a contractual basis for Capital Hospital, and BMC Hospital in the state capital here.

With this sanction, lakhs of people from Bhubaneswar and adjoining areas depending on these two hospitals will get free super specialty consultation and treatment, an official release said.

"The fund shall be placed with the Director, Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar. A Committee consisting of the Director, PGIMER, Bhubaneswar, the Director of Health Services Odisha (DHS), and the Director Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar under the chairmanship of the Commissioner, BMC, shall select, and hire suitable medical professionals at individually negotiated rates", said Pandit.

The state government has been developing the Capital Hospital here to the level of a Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Centre.

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