Chandigarh: Sector 32 GMCH innaugurates eye branchtherapy complex

Chandigarh: There is advanced treatment available now for children suffering from retinoblastoma and choridal melanoma in adults at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32.

A new eye branchtherapy health facility costing around Rs 2 crore has been inaugurated by MP Kirron Kher and Anurag Agarwal, Home Secretary-cum-Secretary, Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh Administration.

“The GMCH has developed this facility in the department of ophthalmology and is the first centre in this part of the country which is approved by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) of India. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has agreed to supply Iodine 125 seeds free of cost for treatment of the patients at present,” said GMCH- 32 Director Principal, Prof Ashok Kumar Janmeja.

Highlighting the fact that brachytherapy facility under government facilities till now was only available at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS), New Delhi.

“There were three to four such treatment centers in the private sector in whole country,” Prof Janmeja told the Tribune.

Brachytherapy is basically a short distance radiotherapy treatment through a very minor surgical procedure.