Latest news with #Brachytherapy
Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
SRN hosp to install advance machine for cancer treatment
Prayagraj: Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, under the Prime Minister's Health Protection Scheme (PMSSY), is set to install an HDR Brachytherapy machine for cancer treatment in the coming months. The project, initially proposed in 2016 as part of a Super Speciality Block, was temporarily shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which redirected all available resources and infrastructure. According to the media in charge of SRN, Dr Santosh Kumar Singh, the medical college will soon procure the machine because the most crucial component—an underground shielded bunker required for its installation—has not been constructed. The layout is now ready, and work on the radiation-safe bunker has been initiated following communication with the state govt. Detailing what Brachytherapy is, Dr Singh said, "Brachytherapy is a highly focused type of internal radiation therapy used for cancers like cervical, prostate, breast and skin cancers. It involves placing a radioactive source directly inside or next to the tumour, thereby delivering a high dose of radiation to the cancer with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissues." Unlike external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), brachytherapy ensures that the rest of the body is exposed to very little radiation, making it an effective and safe treatment modality. According to experts, "This form of radiation therapy is extremely useful for localised tumours, and once the machine is installed, it will benefit cancer patients across the region." Initially, in 2016, plans were approved to install this machine under PMSSY. By 2019, the Super Speciality Block was completed, but in 2020, during the peak of COVID-19, the building was repurposed into a dedicated COVID ward, postponing all other medical projects. "As of 2025, groundwork for bunker construction has restarted, and layout approvals are in place. Soon we will procure the machine, and the patients here at SRN will be able to get the state-of-the-art facility," said Dr Santosh, who is also the Associate Professor at MLN Medical College.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Minister promises to look into enhancing recurring expenses of KMCRI in Hubballi
Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development Sharanprakash Patil has said that he will take up the demand for enhancing the recurring expenses of Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMCRI) with the Finance Department after verifying expenses under various heads in the past three years. Addressing a press conference in Hubballi, Dr. Patil admitted that there is pressure on KMCRI as it is the sole tertiary care unit in Kittur Karnataka catering to the healthcare needs of patients from several districts. He said that the government has already provided additional healthcare facilities at the hospital under various programmes. 'We want to ensure that every district has adequate healthcare facility and that's why it has been proposed to set up medical colleges in every district and also set up super-speciality hospitals. A government hospital will cater to the healthcare needs of the common man at affordable prices. Moreover, it is free for BPL card holders,' he said. To a query, he clarified that the entitled grants of KMCRI are being released regularly. On the issue of private practice of doctors, he said that the government has already issued a circular directing that doctors should do private practice only after 4 p.m. And, also, it has been made mandatory to register their attendance four times in a day and there will also be CCTV surveillance. 'Attendance will be checked regularly along with CCTV footage and any absenteeism will be treated seriously and penalised through cut in their salaries,' he said. 'Not responding' On the demand for establishment of an AIIMS in Raichur, the Minister said that while the issue has been raised several times, the Centre 'has not responded positively' to the proposal so far. Karnataka and Kerala are the only two States where there is no AIIMS, he said. To a query, he said that the issue of appointing a full-time director to KMCRI will be taken up soon but clarified that the acting director has all the powers of a full-time director. To another query on the lack of medicine and doctors prescribing medicine to be purchased from medical stores, he said that he will take it up during the review meeting. He clarified that writing prescriptions for outside medicine is strictly prohibited and action will be taken against in such cases. The Minister said that the government has proposed an increase of 800 undergraduate medical seats and 750 post-graduate seats for clinical courses in the government medical colleges of the State and expressed the confidence that the NMC will give its approval. Inauguration Subsequently, the Minister inaugurated the computerised laboratory, Brachytherapy (cancer therapy unit) set up at a cost of ₹2.2 crore, two modular operation theatres and a renovated outdoor stadium developed at a cost of ₹1.5 crore. Acting director of KMCRI S.F. Kammar and other senior doctors were present. He also held a review meeting later and visited the construction site of the branch of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology which is planned to be completed in a year's time.
