Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, has sanctioned a grant of nearly Rs 1 crore to the Indian Institute of Head and Neck Oncology, the flagship charitable cancer institute operated by the Indore Cancer Foundation.

The grant, awarded under the Government of India's Development of Cancer Institute Programme, will fund the procurement of a new radiation source for the institute's cobalt unit equipped with a multi-leaf collimator. This upgrade will replace the existing depleted radiation source.

This marks a continuation of the DAE's support for the institute, following their previous grant which facilitated the procurement of a Bhabhatron II cobalt unit. This equipment has since served patients from across the country.

The new radiation source will significantly improve treatment efficiency, reducing the duration of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) sessions from approximately 18 minutes to just one minute per patient. Currently, the unit treats nearly 30 patients daily through hi-tech IMRT. 

With this more powerful radiation source, the institute will be able to serve a larger number of patients, particularly beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme and those from economically disadvantaged tribal communities—aligning with the foundation's core mission.