The Hindu Business Line : Bhabhatron II to be dedicated on Dec 11

The President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will dedicate to the nation the teletherapy machine, Bhabhatron-II, developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) on December 11.

The event has been scheduled at the Indian Red Cross Society Cancer Hospital (IRCS), Nellore. The new facility will help in the treatment of the patients in Nellore and nearby areas.

Radiotherapy

Considering the growing demand for affordable radiotherapy machines, the division of remote handling and robotics (DRHR) of BARC, Mumbai, had taken up the indigenisation of cobalt teletherapy technology. After the successful development of the machine, the technology was transferred to Panacea Medical Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, for commercialisation.

The collaboration has resulted in an improved version of the machine, called Bhabhatron-II. The first unit of Bhabhatron-II is being installed at IRCS, Nellore. A few more machines are being manufactured for other cancer hospitals in the country, according to a press release from BARC.

Computer-controlled

Bhabhatron-II has many superior features compared to the imported ones. Fully closable collimator is one of its unique features, which protects the patient from over-exposure to radiation, in case of any emergency. Unlike most of the other tele-cobalt machines, all operations of Bhabhatron-II are fully computer-controlled to facilitate enhanced user-friendliness, radiation safety and security.

Availability

India has about 360 radiation therapy machines, located mainly in urban areas. Only 100 districts have radiation treatment facilities, out of about 600 districts in the country. About 66 per cent of cancer patients need radiation therapy (five lakh patients/year), but only thirty three per cent of them receive radiation therapy due to major shortfall in number of therapy units and urban-centric distribution of cancer hospitals.

The availability of radiotherapy facilities is limited due to the high cost of imported machines. As per the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), India should have at least 1,000 machines.

The demand for such machines is expected to double by the year 2015.

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