Madhya Pradesh: Bhopal Indore and Rewa are all set to become the first government facility in MP to offer linear accelerator- radiotherapy services for cancer patients. The government will start treatment of cancer patients with linear accelerators at Bhopal, Indore and Rewa Medical Colleges in Madhya Pradesh. The plan will be approved in the Shivraj cabinet meeting to be held on January 4. At present, cancer patients are treated with cobalt machines in hospitals affiliated with medical colleges. This is an old technique of treatment. In its place, a linear accelerator will be provided, so that patients will have to suffer less side-effect from radiation.
In the proposal of the Medical Education Department, it has been said that 13 linear accelerator devices are available in the state at present. Of these, only one is operational in AIIMS. Because of this, patients have to go to private hospitals or outside the state for treatment, which puts an additional burden on them. In view of this, it was decided that linear accelerators would be established under PPP in hospitals affiliated with Bhopal, Indore and Rewa Medical Colleges.
Officials say that the cobalt machine gives radiation to an area 1 or 2 centimetres more than the area of cancerous tumours, due to which healthy cells are also affected. The patient has problems like weakness, anaemia, and swelling. Many patients leave treatment incomplete, while linear accelerators are a tool of modern technology for cancer treatment. 105 crores will be spent to buy these machines and Rs 146 crores will be spent in operation. In view of this, it is proposed that a private organization will do the work of purchasing, operating and maintaining the equipment. The institution will prepare a bill based on the number of patients every month and send it to the medical college.