Radiotherapy machines go silent at Advanced Cancer Institute

Tribune News Service

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Bathinda, August 21

The radiotherapy facility has been stopped for the last 15 days due to the non-functional air-conditioners at Advanced Cancer Institute.

It is learnt that the move the step has been taken keeping in mind the safety concerns.

The heavy machines installed at the hospital require 20 degree Celsius temperature round the clock.

A number of patients said the machines such as COBALT and LINAC for radiotherapy had been turned off.

Ashok Garg, a relative of the patient coming from UP, said, “We are shocked to know the reason behind turning off of the cancer treatment machines. The authorities are so irresponsible that from the last 15 days, patients are not being diagnosed by the radiotherapy machines.”

Director Dr MK Mahajan said, “We have already intimated the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation of India (HSCCI) to fix the air-conditioning system at the hospital, but due to long documentation procedure and the lax attitude of the HSCCI, we are suffering.”

“We are conducting surgeries of patients on regular basis by placing mobile air-conditioners in the Operation Theatre (OT). We have turned off the radio-therapy machine only to ensure safety. Hopefully, the problem would be resolved soon,” he added.