The Government of Assam signs an agreement with IBA Particle Therapy India Pvt. Ltd. to establish a proton beam therapy centre in Guwahati, in a landmark step for cancer care in the Northeast. The agreement is signed at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and the centre is described by the state government as India’s first proton therapy facility established by a state government.
With an investment of approximately Rs 600 crore, the centre will bring one of the world’s most advanced forms of radiation-based cancer treatment closer to patients in the Northeast. At present, patients seeking such specialised treatment often face long journeys to metropolitan centres, with the added burden of travel, lodging and time away from family support.
How the Rs 600-crore project is funded
The project is structured through a joint funding model under the Assam State Secondary Healthcare Initiative for Service Delivery Transformation, through the Assam Health Infrastructure Development and Management Society. The World Bank provides Rs 315 crore in development financing, with the Government of Assam contributing the remaining Rs 285 crore.
The state Cabinet had earlier cleared the investment. The centre is to be set up at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, the region’s principal referral destination for complex cases. According to reports, it will use the advanced ProteusONE system, which targets cancer cells with proton beams while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
What proton therapy means for patients
Proton beam therapy targets tumours with high precision, which matters most for tumours close to sensitive organs and for children, where sparing healthy tissue can reduce long-term side effects. It is not, however, indicated for every cancer.
Under the agreement, doctors, medical physicists and technicians will receive specialised training from IBA, including at international centres. Chief Minister Sarma says installation is expected to be completed within three years. One report puts private-sector proton treatment costs at up to Rs 50 lakh, although final pricing and coverage details for the Guwahati centre are yet to be announced.
Part of a wider cancer care network
The proton centre is not standalone. Assam is building a network of 17 cancer hospitals, of which 12 are already functional, according to the state government. The State Cancer Institute in Guwahati has been strengthened with bone marrow transplantation, robotic surgery and a Cath Lab, according to reports.
Assam has been pitching itself as a rising investment destination from Guwahati, and its economic growth has been highlighted at national level. The proton centre now tests whether that growth extends to specialised public healthcare.
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