The Government has formed a committee under Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to provide radioactive source (Cobalt-60) to around 240 odd cancer hospitals free of cost. This is a part of Government's policy for enhancing radiotherapy facilities for cancer treatment.
Elaborating on the details, an official associated with the development says, the DAE apex committee constituted for the development of cancer institutions in the country plans to offer grants to the cancer hospitals for procuring the radioactive source (Cobalt-60). The committee, however, reserves the right to give grants based on the merit and nature of the project for purchase of radioactive source.
Board of Radiation Isotope and Technology (BRIT), which is a unit of the DAE headquartered in Navi Mumbai, will supply these sources to the hospitals at a nominal cost of Rs 50 lac based on their demands in accordance to the regulatory guidelines of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Regulatory requirements include authorisation from AERB, presence of a Radiology Safety Officer with the hospital and details of the grant made. According to sources, first batch of the radioisotope (Cobalt-60) is available with BRIT.
As per official sources, cancer hospitals can get grants if they approach the apex committee of DAE for purchase of radioactive source which can now be made available through indigenously manufacturing them. Earlier the radioactive sources were being imported from Canada and Russia and hence were capital intensive. The recurring radioactive source (Cobalt-60) used to cost about one crore which could be used for 10 years.
Considering the fact that over 4 million cancer patients in India are in need of cancer treatment, Government's plans to provide the radioactive source in existing tele-cobalt based radiation equipment spread across cancer hospitals in the country would be a boon. India as of today has 550 odd radiation units out of which tele-cobalt based equipment account for 50 per cent of the infrastructure. The plan which is in the initial stage of implementation envisages extending the radiotherapy facilities up to district level across the length and breadth of the country.
Most of the cancer care facilities are currently concentrated in bigger cities in the tertiary care institutions. By providing basic facilities at the district level through such initiatives, it would be possible for the tertiary care centres provide the advanced radiotherapy treatment with the curative intent.
BRIT also supplies a vast array of high quality radioisotope products for medical and industrial use that include therapeutic and diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals, labelled compounds and nucleotides, radiochemicals, sealed radiation sources and radiation technology equipment including gamma chambers, blood irradiators and radiography exposure devices. BRIT also offers radiation processing, isotope applications in industry and radio-analytical services to a large number of customers.