Assam signs Rs 600 crore deal for state-run proton therapy centre
The project will be India's first proton therapy facility established by a state government.
The Government of Assam has signed an agreement with IBA Particle Therapy India Pvt. Ltd. to establish a Proton Beam Therapy Centre in Guwahati. The agreement was signed at Lok Sewa Bhawan in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The project involves an investment of approximately Rs 600 crore, consisting of Rs 315 crore from the World Bank and Rs 285 crore from the State Government. It is being implemented through the Assam State Secondary Healthcare Initiative for Service Delivery Transformation (ASSIST Project).
Chief Minister Sarma said the centre will provide advanced radiation treatment that uses targeted beams to hit cancer cells while reducing radiation to nearby healthy tissues. He noted the technology is beneficial for treating cancers of the brain, spine, eyes, head, neck, oesophagus, lung, liver, and breast.
Sarma stated that the technology is particularly helpful for children to protect developing organs like the heart and brain. The facility will use the ProteusONE system, which is described as having a compact design for precise delivery.
Under the agreement, medical staff including doctors and technicians will receive specialised training from IBA. The State Government has also approached Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, to assist with the training and onboarding of medical personnel.
The initiative is part of a larger network including the Assam Cancer Care Foundation, which is establishing 17 cancer hospitals across the state. Currently, 12 of these hospitals are functional.