AIIMS Rajkot Inaugurates Advanced Cancer Treatment Centre to Expand Regional Healthcare

RAJKOT, Nov. 3: Access to specialised cancer treatment in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region is set to improve with the inauguration of an advanced radiotherapy facility at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rajkot.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the facility on November 2, describing it as an important step towards making advanced cancer treatment more accessible to people living in regional and underserved areas.

Developed with an investment of approximately ₹39 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), the facility is expected to serve an estimated population of 1.54 crore people across Saurashtra.

Officials anticipate that the centre will handle approximately 500 to 700 patients annually, providing specialised treatment to people who previously had to travel to larger cities such as Ahmedabad and Mumbai for advanced radiation therapy.

The inauguration represents an important addition to the region’s tertiary healthcare infrastructure, particularly for patients from rural and semi-urban communities who face difficulties accessing specialised medical services.

Speaking at the event, Nadda said cancer creates significant medical, emotional, social and financial challenges for patients and their families. He stressed that timely diagnosis and treatment are essential and that geographical location or financial limitations should not prevent individuals from receiving quality healthcare.

He said the new facility would help reduce the distance patients need to travel for specialised treatment and strengthen the availability of advanced medical services within the region.

The minister also emphasised the importance of developing stronger connections between primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions so that patients can receive appropriate medical attention at every stage of treatment.

Advanced Radiation Technology

The newly inaugurated facility is equipped with modern technologies designed to improve the precision and effectiveness of radiation treatment.

Its major equipment includes a High Energy Linear Accelerator (LINAC), a Wide Bore CT Simulator and a High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy Unit.

The LINAC is a key component of modern radiation oncology. It produces high-energy radiation beams that can be directed towards cancerous tissues while helping limit exposure to surrounding healthy organs.

The equipment supports several advanced treatment 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 technologies allow doctors to plan and deliver radiation with a high degree of precision.

IMRT helps medical professionals adjust radiation intensity across different areas of a tumour, while VMAT delivers radiation through a rotating treatment machine. Image-guided procedures use imaging information to help verify the patient’s position and improve treatment accuracy.

Stereotactic techniques are used in selected cases where highly focused radiation needs to be delivered to specific targets.

The Wide Bore CT Simulator will support treatment planning by providing detailed images that help specialists determine the appropriate radiation treatment area.

The HDR Brachytherapy Unit provides another method of delivering radiation by placing a radioactive source close to or inside the targeted treatment area, depending on the patient’s condition and clinical requirements.

The availability of these technologies at AIIMS Rajkot is expected to strengthen the institution’s ability to provide comprehensive oncology services.

However, specialists will determine the appropriate treatment method based on the type of cancer, its stage, the patient’s overall health and other clinical considerations.

Reducing the Treatment Burden on Families

One of the major objectives behind establishing the facility is to reduce the difficulties faced by cancer patients who must travel outside their home districts for specialised treatment.

For families living in smaller towns and rural areas, repeated journeys to metropolitan hospitals can create considerable financial and logistical pressure.

Apart from treatment expenses, patients and their relatives often have to arrange accommodation, transportation, food and other essential requirements during extended hospital visits.

Such difficulties can also affect treatment continuity, particularly for patients requiring multiple radiation sessions over several weeks.

The new facility is expected to benefit people from Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi, Surendranagar, Gir Somnath, Devbhumi Dwarka and Botad.

The catchment area includes communities with varying levels of access to specialised medical infrastructure.

By expanding oncology services within the region, AIIMS Rajkot could help patients receive treatment closer to their families and local support networks.

The development is particularly significant for economically weaker households, which may find repeated long-distance medical travel difficult to afford.

The government has also stated that eligible beneficiaries covered under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) will be able to access cancer treatment without paying the covered treatment costs, subject to the scheme’s applicable provisions. Other patients are expected to receive services at subsidised rates, according to officials.

Government Highlights Cancer Screening Efforts

During the inauguration, Nadda also highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen cancer prevention and early detection through screening programmes operating across the country.

He said that approximately 37.7 crore people had undergone oral cancer screening through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs since 2018, with around 2.5 lakh suspected cases detected.

The minister also referred to breast and cervical cancer screening among women.

According to the figures presented, approximately 17.7 crore women had been screened for breast cancer, leading to the identification of around 95,000 cases.

Similarly, approximately 9.8 crore women had undergone cervical cancer screening, with around one lakh cases identified.

These figures underline the importance of early detection in improving the chances of timely diagnosis and appropriate medical intervention.

Cancer screening programmes are particularly important because several forms of the disease may not produce noticeable symptoms during their early stages.

Regular screening, awareness campaigns and timely medical consultations can help identify abnormalities before the disease progresses.

Nadda also highlighted the scale of screening conducted for non-communicable diseases, stating that approximately 44 crore screenings each had been undertaken for hypertension and diabetes.

He emphasised that preventive healthcare should remain an important component of India’s broader healthcare strategy.

Expansion of AIIMS Network

The health minister also discussed the expansion of specialised healthcare institutions across India.

He noted that the country had moved from having a single AIIMS institution in New Delhi to a network of 22 approved institutions, of which 18 are operational.

The expansion is intended to strengthen access to advanced medical treatment, specialist consultations, medical education and research across different regions.

AIIMS Rajkot is part of this broader effort to develop tertiary healthcare infrastructure outside traditional metropolitan centres.

The institution’s advanced radiotherapy facility is expected to contribute to the development of specialised cancer treatment services in Gujarat.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava described the inauguration as an important milestone in the development of AIIMS Rajkot.

She highlighted the National Health Policy 2017, which promotes comprehensive healthcare covering preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative services.

She also referred to the government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure through more than 1.8 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.

The emphasis, she said, remains on ensuring that healthcare services are accessible, affordable and available across different stages of medical care.

Focus on Affordable Cancer Medicines

The inauguration also brought attention to the financial difficulties associated with cancer treatment.

Cancer care frequently involves several stages of medical intervention, including diagnostic investigations, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, rehabilitation and long-term follow-up.

For many families, the cost of medicines and specialised procedures can become a significant financial burden.

The government has highlighted several initiatives intended to improve the affordability of cancer medicines and specialised treatments.

These include trade margin rationalisation, AMRIT pharmacies, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras and exemptions from basic customs duties on selected medicines.

Nadda also referred to the availability of CAR-T cell therapy in India at comparatively affordable rates.

CAR-T cell therapy is an advanced form of treatment that modifies a patient’s immune cells to help them recognise and attack cancer cells. It is used for selected blood cancers and requires specialised medical infrastructure and monitoring.

The development of such treatment options reflects the growing importance of advanced medical technology in India’s healthcare system.

However, ensuring affordability and wider availability remains an important challenge, particularly for patients living outside major urban centres.

Further Development of Regional Healthcare

The inauguration of the radiotherapy facility is expected to support the gradual expansion of specialised medical services at AIIMS Rajkot.

Dr. J.S. Titiyal, president of AIIMS Rajkot, described the new infrastructure as an important addition to the institution’s cancer care capabilities.

He acknowledged the support of the Central and Gujarat governments, along with the contribution of doctors, nurses, technical professionals and other staff involved in establishing the facility.

The availability of advanced equipment will also require trained personnel, proper maintenance, effective treatment planning and coordinated patient management to ensure that services operate efficiently.

Healthcare experts generally emphasise that modern cancer treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach involving oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, pathologists, nurses and rehabilitation specialists.

Patients may require different combinations of treatment depending on the nature and progression of their illness.

Consequently, the effectiveness of the new centre will depend not only on its equipment but also on the availability of qualified professionals and a reliable referral system.

The government has increasingly emphasised the importance of integrating early screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up services to improve cancer care outcomes.

For Saurashtra and neighbouring regions, the new facility represents an opportunity to strengthen access to specialised treatment without requiring every patient to travel to major metropolitan hospitals.

As the centre begins expanding its services, its ability to handle patient demand and maintain consistent treatment standards will be important in determining its long-term contribution to regional healthcare.

The ₹39-crore investment at AIIMS Rajkot therefore marks a significant development in Gujarat’s specialised healthcare infrastructure, with the potential to make advanced cancer treatment more accessible to a large population.