State Government Greenlights Cyclotron Project for Cancer Treatment in Gujarat
Rs 70 Crore Approved for Advanced Radioactive Treatment Facilities at The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute
Gandhinagar / Ahmedabad, May 9 - The state government has granted in-principle approval for a Rs 70 crore cyclotron project at The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute (GCRI). The decision was made during a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with Health Minister Hrishikesh Patel also in attendance.
The cyclotron project aims to produce radioactive materials for cancer diagnosis and treatment within a dedicated utility building. The project's initiation will ensure a consistent supply of radioactive materials with high production capacity, leading to reduced treatment costs per patient.
Construction for the cyclotron will require 1,000 square meters of land to accommodate a cyclotron bunker and a five-story utility building, including a basement. Manoj Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, presented the project to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel during the meeting. The Cyclotron for Nuclear Medicine project is expected to be completed within two years.
Currently, the Department of Nuclear Medicine at GCRI does not have its own cyclotron, according to Agarwal. The new facility will enable the institute to conduct numerous investigations simultaneously, utilizing molecules with half-lives of only a few minutes. The Department of Nuclear Medicine at GCRI has been operational for over 28 years.
Upon completion, the project will increase patient examination and treatment capacity to 16,000 per year, quadrupling the current capability. Additionally, the facility may supply materials to other GCRI-affiliated hospitals or centers, such as those in Siddhpur, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar.
The meeting also addressed other health-related matters, including a Rs 40 crore allocation for upgrading facilities at GMERS Medical College Sola Hospital. Plans for procuring state-of-the-art equipment in various departments, including Radiology, Anesthesia, Medicine, General Surgery, Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Ophthalmology, were discussed.
