The Department of Radiation Oncology in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has to unwillingly send more than 5 patients home daily for two reasons--one is the Source in present Cobalt is functioning very slowly, second despite endeavours since 2018, the Linear Accelerator has not reached the institute yet. The delay in installation of Linear Accelerator and reducing speed of Cobalt Unit source has affected thousands of patients since 2018 as some of those who require radiation daily have to go home without its receipt. Cobalt unit is used to give radiation to the cancer patients (not all, but daily around 70-80 patients who come to GMCH need radiation). In 2006, GMCH got the Cobalt unit worth Rs 2.88 crore through Central Government.

 

There is a source in a cobalt unit which means radioactive pellet Cobalt-60 (It produces radiation to be given to cancer patients to kill cancer cells) used for cancer treatment and its life is about 5 years, was changed in 2016. Its efficiency in initial days is good but gets reduced gradually. Earlier, 80-90 patients used to avail benefit. Now the number has come down to 40. The GMCH has to send average 5 patients back home, which means annually average 1,800 patients are deprived of the radiation. In last 8 years, over 14,000 patients were affected. The Source Cobalt-60 comes from Canada so it is taking time to get the source. GMCH has also tried to get the source from BRIT (Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology).

 

It is an independent unit under India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), established from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The source is given in exchange and BRIT authority says the source lies with GMCH is an international which it can’t exchange. GMCH awaits Linear Accelerator since 2018 Meanwhile, with an aim to provide treatment faster, GMCH aimed to get Linear Accelerator and accordingly, wrote to the authorities. But no money was given. After constant pursuance, Government gave technical approval and asked GMCH to get the funds from District Planning Committee (DPC) but it did not have money. Finally, the proposal was sent to Secretary and in 2018, Rs 21 crore was sanctioned as per the price of Linear Accelerator during that time. Then Government used to do the purchase through Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation Ltd. The money remained with it for quite a long time and then, was deposited with Reserve Bank of India as a part of procedure. Meanwhile, someone knocked the door of High Court. The Government swung into action.