The city’s first advanced linear accelerato(linac) for the treatment of cancer in the government sector started a few months ago in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur, under the Department of Radiotherapy. Yearlong efforts of the Institute under the able guidance of the Director and CEO, Maj Gen (Dr) Vibha Dutta, SM has brought State-of-the-Art facility for cancer with the vision to provide affordable and quality at par with the latest developments in the field of Radiation oncology to the masses of Central India.
The institute has a modern-day linear accelerator, Elekta VersaHD, a high-dose rate brachytherapy machine, Elekta Flexitron 20CH and a dedicated CT Simulator Somatom Confidence RT-Pro in the Radiotherapy Department. Dr Vandana Singh Kushwaha, Assistant Professor and Faculty in charge of the Department of Radiotherapy told that approximately eighty per cent of cancer cases need radiotherapy during their treatment and all sorts of cancer such as head and neck cancer, lung cancer, brain tumour, breast cancer, gastrointestinal tumour, genitourinary malignancy, lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma etc can be treated by Radiotherapy.
The treatments offered by Radiotherapy Department include advanced techniques of external beam radiotherapy like 3DCRT, IMRT, IGRT, VMAT and SRT/SBRT and soon will start intracavitary, interstitial, intraluminal and surface brachytherapy treatment. Department also provides day- care services for patients who undergo neoadjuvant or concurrent chemotherapy. Also, the procurement of 2nd Linear Accelerator with advanced delivering techniques of external beam radiotherapy is under process.
As per GLOBOCON 2020, 8.6 lakh people died out of 14 lakh new cases that were diagnosed in India. Dr Manish Shrigiriwar, offcg. Medical Superintendent, AIIMS Nagpur is constantly working to counter it by trying to make cancer treatment accessible and affordable under the Government schemes so that the maximum number of patients in central India are benefitted. Radiation treatment costs in most non- government hospitals are beyond the common man’s means, however, AIIMS Nagpur is treating patients at affordable charge. Eligible beneficiaries from the low-income group can avail of the services under the MJPJAY & PMJAY schemes with free treatment. 30 cancer patients have taken benefits of Radiotherapy and 29 patients have received chemotherapy under MJPJAY & PMJAY schemes within in a short period of time. AIIMS Nagpur also provides facilities for patients or attendants to stay at Dharmshala (110 dedicated
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rooms) as radiation therapy involves several daily treatments(fractions) on an outpatient basis over course of weeks to months. AIIMS Nagpur appeals to our citizens to avail of these facilities.
