Assam to get India’s 3rd proton beam therapy unit; GMCH to be rebuilt as super speciality hospital

In a transformative move for healthcare infrastructure in Assam, the old Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) is set to be demolished to make way for a state-of-the-art 3,000-bed medical facility. 

The development comes on the heels of the inauguration of three new hospitals—Pragjyotishpur Hospital, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH), and a dedicated Mother & Child Hospital.

With the addition of the new 3,000-bed complex, GMCH will soon become the second-largest hospital in the country after Patna, boasting a total bed capacity of 5,000.

The newly built Mother, Maternity, and Child Hospital is expected to be inaugurated by the end of October, further enhancing maternal and child healthcare in the region. 

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Meanwhile, MMCH will be converted into a full-fledged Super Speciality Hospital, equipped with cutting-edge infrastructure and facilities to support complex procedures such as liver and kidney transplants.

In another groundbreaking medical advancement, GMCH will soon introduce proton beam therapy, a revolutionary cancer treatment technique available in only two other Indian cities—Chennai and Mumbai. 

Assam will become the third state in the country to offer this high-precision treatment, designed to target cancer cells while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

Authorities are currently in talks to procure a proton beam therapy machine worth ₹500 crore, which is expected to significantly elevate Assam's position in the national medical landscape.

The sweeping modernisation of GMCH is part of the Assam government’s broader vision to make Guwahati a regional healthcare hub, offering advanced treatment options and expanded patient capacity to serve the Northeast and beyond.