Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma elevated advanced and accountable healthcare services by dedicating the State Cancer Institute, Guwahati, to public service. Additionally, he inaugurated the revamped State of Art Blood Centre at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), extended the emergency department in GMCH, and initiated the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) process for one lakh beneficiaries for individual household toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission at a ceremony held at the GMCH auditorium in Guwahati.
The State Cancer Institute’s Phase 2, a five-story building, features facilities like OTs, BMT, Cath Lab, ICUs, and HDUs, totaling 350 beds when combined with the existing block. The institute will provide medical services such as radiation, chemotherapy, surgery or robotic surgery, nuclear medicine, bone marrow transplant, academics, and research. Moreover, it’s equipped with MRI, CT, Mammography, Digital X-ray, Endoscopy, Laboratory, Blood Bank, and CSSD facilities, with a project cost of Rs 395 crore. The State of Art Blood Centre, inaugurated with a budget of Rs 3.88 crore, offers modern facilities.
Chief Minister Sarma emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare and announced the introduction of Proton Beam Therapy in Assam for advanced cancer treatment. Furthermore, the state aims to become a hub for medical tourism, catering not only to Northeast patients but also to those from Southeast Asian nations.
In another event, Sarma inaugurated a PET-CT machine at B Baruah Cancer Centre, Guwahati, with a project cost of Rs 13.14 crore, benefitting approximately 2000 patients annually. He emphasized efforts to transform Dr B Baruah Cancer Institute into a center of excellence. Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta, MLAs Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Principal GMCH Achyut Baishya, Project Director Assam Cancer Care Foundation Gautam Chintey, Director BBCI Bibhuti Bhusan Borthakur, and others attended the event.
Assam’s healthcare sector has witnessed significant progress under the present state government. Notably, the state now has 12 medical colleges, with plans for additional colleges. The inauguration of three new medical colleges and the foundation stone laying for Karimganj Medical College reflect these efforts. Additionally, the state boasts the North East’s first AIIMS at Changsari. The increase in medical colleges has led to a rise in MBBS and PG seats, along with the establishment of new dental colleges. The Assam Critical Care Infrastructure Project has introduced 365 tech-enabled ICU beds in 23 district hospitals, while the Ayushman Asom Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana aims to provide cashless health care to beneficiaries.
