Starting of Linear Accelerator at Tanda - A relief to cancer patients

Dharamshala, December 3, 2019: Dr.R.P.Government Medical College at Tanda near here, has establish an Oncology department equipped with the latest machinery especially the Linear Accelerator costing 20 crore. Principal of Dr.R.P.Government Medical College at Tanda Dr Bhanu Awasthi said, “Few government sector medical centers across the country are provide such facilities. The treatment by this equipment is required in 70 -80% of cancer patients. This has strengthened in providing state of the art health care facilities to the poor patients of this hill state.” He added that it is only possible due to the untiring efforts of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and his cabinet collogues. He said that the department is also providing chemotherapy which is also required in 90 – 95% of patients in specialized day care wards on outpatient bases which runs from 9.30 AM to 4 PM and the same protocol is followed in premier institutes like PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS Delhi. The schedule varies depending upon the type of cancer and is usually repeated every 21 days. After chemotherapy the patients are sent back home with symptomatic treatment. “Every day 25- 30 patients are being treated in these specialized wards. In 2018 a total of 5235 were treated in these day care wards and in 2019, 6900 patients have been treated till date,” said Principal. He said, “To keep up with the increase in number of patients and their expectation of better services from this institution, the administration of Tanda Medical College has been making all out efforts to ensure quality. The patients benefit is the primary aim and despite incurring difficulties for its staff and at the risk of exposing short comings in the institution, empathy for its patients continues to be the guiding principle of the institution.”