Assam to install Rs 500 crore proton therapy unit for cancer treatment at GMCH

The Assam government has approved the installation of a Rs 500 crore proton therapy machine at the State Cancer Institute of Gauhati Medical College Hospital, marking the first time such advanced cancer treatment will be available in India’s public health 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 in only two private hospitals in the country, located in Mumbai and Chennai.

Calling it a major step for cancer care, Sarma said proton therapy is a “precision-based radiological treatment” and confirmed that “we have decided to bring this machine to Assam for Rs 500 crore.” The equipment will be installed at the State Cancer Institute within Gauhati Medical College Hospital.

The chief minister said the move is expected to reduce the need for patients from Assam to travel outside the state for advanced cancer treatment. “Patients from Assam were going out of the state for such treatment, but with the arrival of the machine, a large number of cancer patients from across India will come to the state for treatment,” he said, adding that it would open “a new horizon” for medical tourism in Assam.

Sarma also highlighted the state’s expanding cancer care infrastructure, noting that the government had planned 17 cancer hospitals, of which nine are already operational. He said Assam has been steadily adding new radiological equipment as part of its broader push to strengthen cancer treatment facilities across the state.