Ayushman Bharat: Cancer patients get radiation therapy through robots at Ahmedabad's GCRI

Ahmedabad, Feb 4: To deal with deadly diseases like cancer in the country, the government is trying its best to cure people by bringing different types of world-class treatments. In this series, the Gujarat Cancer and Research Center (GCRI) in Ahmedabad has brought revolutionary changes in the treatment of cancer by giving radiation with the help of robots to eliminate cancer lumps.

For this, state-of-the-art machines are being used in the institute, which includes three linear accelerators, one Cobalt (Bhabhatron), one Iridium (microSelectron), 4D CT simulator and one conventional (X-ray simulator). These machines have been brought to the institute at a cost of Rs 95 crore, where a team of trained doctors and technicians is treating the patients.

According to the Health Department of the state government, Gujarat is the only state in the country to provide this type of facility in a government hospital. Robot-assisted surgery is also performed in the Civil Hospital. Cyberknife radiosurgery machine worth Rs 38 crore has been installed at GCRI, which is capable of eliminating cancerous lumps of 5 mm to 3 cm with minimal side effects. This machine is available in a government hospital only in Gujarat (GCRI) in the entire country. Apart from this, modern facilities like TrueBeam Linac (a type of radiotherapy treatment system) and Tomotherapy are also available at GCRI.

Cyberknife radiosurgery technique is effective in accurately treating cancerous lumps in sensitive organs like the brain, lungs, liver, spinal cord and prostate by giving high dose radiation. This technique causes less damage to the surrounding healthy tissues. CyberKnife Radiosurgery Stereotactic Radio Surgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) target the tumour with sub-millimetre accuracy, allowing patients to be treated in one to five days and avoid prolonged hospitalisation.

The TrueBeam Linear Accelerator's RapidArc technology is effective in treating diseases such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung, head and neck cancer. It has the ability to target the tumour based on the patient's respiratory system and deliver radiation, reducing side effects and preventing damage to other organs.

Tomotherapy technology treats the tumour layer by layer, eliminating the problem of overdose and underdose. It helps in treating large and complex tumours and is especially effective in cases of childhood cancer and cancer recurrence.

The cost of treatment has also been reduced due to this cutting-edge technology. While the cost of such treatment with other machines was up to Rs 5 lakh, now it has become possible for only Rs 75,000. The special thing is that Ayushman card holders will get the benefit of this facility for free, which will provide relief to the economically weaker sections.

Dr Vinay Tiwari at GCRI said, "The treatment is absolutely free for Ayushman card holders. For those who do not have a card, the cost is also very low, only Rs 75,000, while in private hospitals it comes in lakhs, like Rs 2 lakh to 5 lakh. The cost of treatment here is only Rs 75,000. One special thing about this is that the treatment is completed in one to five days or you can say a week, while treatment with other machines takes one and a half to two weeks."

The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, 2018, has emerged as a beacon of hope for countless families across India, enabling them to access free treatment for serious illnesses in both private and government hospitals.

By reducing the financial burden of healthcare, the scheme ensures that even the poorest citizens can receive life-saving medical care.