Assam signs agreement to set up India's first public proton beam therapy unit
The Rs 600 crore project in Guwahati will be established through a partnership with a Belgian firm.
The Assam government signed an agreement with Ion Beam Applications Particles of Belgium on Saturday to establish India's first public sector proton beam therapy centre in Guwahati.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the facility will be set up at a cost of Rs 600 crore and will take a minimum of three years to complete.
The investment includes machines, training, and a building for the centre. Of the total cost, the World Bank will provide Rs 315 crore as a loan, while the state will contribute Rs 285 crore.
Sarma stated that the technology attacks tumours with precision while sparing healthy tissues, which can make a significant difference for patients, particularly children.
The centre will be established under the Assam State Secondary Healthcare Initiative for Service Delivery Transformation project of the Assam Health Infrastructure Development & Management Society.
Currently, only two centres in India have this technology, located at Tata Cancer Hospital in Mumbai and Apollo Hospital in Chennai. Assam will host the third centre in the country, but it will be the first government-established facility.