In Odisha, a cutting-edge medical cyclotron unit will be built

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik authorised the plan to build a cutting-edge Medical Cyclotron facility at the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, which is situated on the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) campus at Jatni, as a step toward providing high-quality cancer care in Odisha.

According to the announcement, the state of Odisha would contribute up to Rs 150 crore toward the cost of establishing the plant. With its inclusion, Odisha would become the largest research and application centre for medical cyclotrons in all of South-East Asia.

In a press statement, the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare of Odisha, Shalini Pandit said, “Medical Cyclotron unit will produce radioactive isotopes required for critical imaging procedures such as the Positron emission tomography (PET) scan for treatment of cancers and other critical ailments. Presently, Odisha obtains the isotopes on a daily basis from Hyderabad, Mumbai or Kolkata and the isotopes remain effective for only a few hours”.

The statement went on to say that just a few centres were within the isotopes’ reach due to the lengthy delivery times from these states.

The proposed state-of-the-art Medical Cyclotron facility would be unique to the entire South East Asian region. It would be “operated by NISER in close collaboration with Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata, Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, and the Department of Atomic Energy and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board”, she added.

The outcomes of this world-class facility would include the production of medically useful radioisotopes. “The unit would facilitate skill development in the field of applied sciences, and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students”, the statement added.

Additionally, the unit would serve as a national institution for basic scientific research and development as well as a regional facility for nuclear medical research and development in South East Asia.