Guwahati, Jan 2: The Assam government has approved the installation of a Rs 500 crore proton therapy unit at the State Cancer Institute of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), marking the first time such advanced cancer treatment technology will be introduced in India’s public healthcare system.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision during a media interaction under the ‘Natun Diner Alap’ (Conversations of a New Day) programme on January 1, 2026.
Proton therapy machines are currently available only at two private hospitals in the country, located in Mumbai and Chennai.
Describing the initiative as a major milestone in cancer care, Sarma said proton therapy is a “precision-based radiological treatment” that allows targeted radiation delivery while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
“We have decided to bring this machine to Assam at a cost of Rs 500 crore,” the chief minister said, adding that the equipment will be installed at the State Cancer Institute within GMCH.
He said the project is expected to significantly reduce the need for cancer patients from Assam to travel outside the state for advanced treatment.
“Patients from Assam were going out of the state for such treatment, but with the arrival of this machine, a large number of cancer patients from across India will come to the state for treatment,” Sarma said.
He added that the development would open “a new horizon” for medical tourism in Assam. Highlighting the state’s expanding cancer care infrastructure, the chief minister said the government has planned a network of 17 cancer hospitals across Assam, of which nine are already operational.
He noted that the state has been steadily adding advanced radiological equipment as part of a broader effort to strengthen cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities.
The introduction of proton therapy at GMCH is expected to place Assam at the forefront of advanced cancer treatment in the public health sector in India.
