Dateline Dehradun: The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant has installed the Halcyon B Linear Accelerator Radiotherapy machine. Dr. Vijay Dhasmana, President of Swami Rama Himalayan University (SRHU), formally inaugurated the machine, dedicating it to public health.
With the continuous increase in cancer cases in India, the demand from patients has led to the commencement of operations using the advanced Halcyon B Linear Accelerator Radiotherapy machine at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant. This also makes Himalayan Hospital the first and only private teaching hospital in Uttarakhand to install such an advanced machine.
During the inauguration, Dr. Vijay Dhasmana stated, “although the statistics on cancer are alarming, the treatment of cancer is continuously evolving, and with technological advancements, we are now able to more effectively eliminate cancer cells with fewer side effects. This machine will prove to be a boon for patients.”
Dr. Sunil Saini, Director of the Cancer Research Institute Jollygrant, mentioned that the hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department has started using this machine to provide safe and effective radiotherapy to patients.
Dr. Vipul Nautiyal, Head of the Radiation Oncology Department, said, cancer patients in Uttarakhand no longer need to travel outside the state for treatment. The availability of an advanced machine like Halcyon at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant ensures that cancer treatment facilities are accessible locally.
During the event, directors and staff including Dr. Sunil Saini, Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed, Medical Superintendent Dr. Rajesh Maheshwari, Dr. Hemchandra Joshi, Dr. Renu Dhasmana, Dr. Vipul Nautiyal, Dr. Vinay Kumar, and Dr. Mansi Barthwal were present.
How the ‘Halcyon’ Machine Works
Dr. Sunil Saini, Director of the Cancer Research Institute, explained that the state-of-the-art Halcyon machine produces high-energy particles or rays, which provide a focused beam to precise targets and destroys or damages cancer cells within the patient’s body. Each session on the machine lasts about 2-3 minutes, which allows most patients to avoid lengthy hospital stays.
Halcyon Machine to Prove a ‘Boon’ for Patients
– Patients from Uttarakhand and other states will benefit from the healthcare facilities.
– Treatment time will be reduced, decreasing the waiting list for patients.
– Patients can go home after therapy, reducing their expenses.
– The machine reduces the side effects of radiation.
– It works according to the treatment needs of the patient’s tumor, resulting in better outcomes and fewer side effects.
Selected Hospitals in the Country Have the Halcyon Machine
Dr. Vipul Nautiyal from the Radiation Oncology Department stated: only select hospitals in the country are currently treating cancer patients with the Halcyon machine. Until now, this facility was limited to major hospitals in metropolitan areas like Delhi and Chandigarh, but it is now available at the Himalayan Hospital’s Cancer Research Institute in Jollygrant.
 at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant has installed the Halcyon B Linear Accelerator Radiotherapy machine.){kind=link}