Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Monday inaugurated an Advanced Radiotherapy Facility at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rajkot, marking a significant step towards strengthening access to specialised cancer care in Saurashtra and neighbouring regions.
Established with an investment of approximately INR 39 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), the facility is equipped with advanced radiation therapy technologies to provide specialised cancer treatment closer to patients’ homes.
Addressing the gathering, Nadda highlighted the medical, emotional, social and financial burden cancer places on patients and their families. He emphasised that timely treatment is critical and that access to quality cancer care should not be determined by a person’s geographical location or financial circumstances.
The Minister noted that the facility would particularly benefit people from Saurashtra and Kutch, who previously had to travel to distant cities such as Ahmedabad and Mumbai to access specialised treatment.
Nadda also highlighted India’s expansion of tertiary healthcare infrastructure, noting that the country has progressed from having a single AIIMS in New Delhi to 18 operational institutions out of 22. He stressed the need for seamless linkages across different levels of healthcare to ensure patients receive appropriate and timely treatment.
Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya welcomed the inauguration, stating that the advanced radiotherapy facility would be of considerable benefit to people across Saurashtra.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava described the inauguration as an important milestone in the development of AIIMS Rajkot.
Dr J S Titiyal, President, AIIMS Rajkot, said the facility would strengthen cancer care services in the region. He acknowledged the support of the central and Gujarat governments, as well as the contributions of the institute’s faculty, doctors, nurses and technical staff in establishing the service.
The facility is expected to serve a catchment population of approximately 1.54 crore across Saurashtra, covering Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi, Surendranagar, Gir Somnath, Devbhumi Dwarka and Botad. It is expected to improve access to specialised treatment, particularly for rural, semi-urban and economically disadvantaged communities.
AIIMS Rajkot Adds LINAC and HDR Brachytherapy Services to Cancer Care
The Advanced Radiotherapy Facility is equipped with a High Energy Linear Accelerator (LINAC), a Wide Bore CT Simulator and a High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy Unit.
The LINAC supports advanced radiation therapy techniques, including Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT) and Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT). These techniques enable precise radiation delivery with millimetre-level accuracy.
The Wide Bore CT Simulator facilitates three-dimensional imaging for treatment planning, while HDR brachytherapy enables targeted internal radiation treatment for gynaecological cancers, head and neck cancers, sarcomas and other tumours.
The facility is expected to initially manage approximately 500–700 cases annually, focusing on head and neck, gynaecological, breast, bone and soft tissue malignancies, among other cancers.
The inauguration programme was also attended by Parshottambhai Rupala and Kesridevsinh Jhala, Members of Parliament; Dr L N Dorairajan, Executive Director, AIIMS Rajkot; and senior officials from the Ministry of Health, faculty members and healthcare professionals.
