The Assam cabinet on Sunday approved purchase of a proton beam therapy unit for cancer treatment at a cost of ₹ 600 crore.
“Proton beam therapy is one of the most advanced form of treatments for cancer. “Assam will join an illustrious list of places where this advanced treatment will be available. World Bank will provide us a loan of ₹ 315 crore for this and state government would spend ₹ 285 crore,” he said.
Once this treatment starts, we are hopeful of not just treating patients in our state but also attract medical tourists,” said the CM.
He informed that at present there are only around 40 proton beam therapy units across the world. “Assam will be the first state in the country to have a proton beam therapy unit in the public health care sector. At present the treatment is available at two private hospitals in Mumbai and Chennai, but no state-run hospitals have that facility till date,” Sarma added. The technique, which uses proton beams for advanced radiation treatment is more precision-based than existing methods and has less chances of damaged nearby healthy tissues.
