Bhubaneswar: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here is set to introduce a number of treatment facilities for cancer, tuberculosis and other patients from February 2 at its peripheral hospital.

As part of its cancer diagnostic service, AIIMS will operationalise high-yield radiotherapy equipment such as Hela (High energy linear accelerator), Lela (low energy linear accelerator) and CT simulator. Experts said that Hela was capable of all sorts of radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients.

"These machines will be the first of its kind in Odisha and the eastern region. These machines can treat cancers of inaccessible parts where surgery is not possible. These facilities will be available at a very nominal rate, which will prevent the migration of poor cancer patients outside Odisha," said a senior AIIMS administrator.

Besides, the hospital will also have gamma camera.

"Gamma camera is a molecular imaging device useful in diagnosis of diseases of heart, bone, thyroid, kidney, liver, brain, lungs and various other organs of body," said Kanhaiyalal Agrawal, faculty in-charge of the department of nuclear medicine.

At present, no government health care facility in Odisha uses gamma cameras. This facility exists at two corporate hospitals, where the cost of these investigations is steep.

"However, AIIMS with higher version of gamma camera will have more accuracy in investigations and the cost will be 10 to 20 times cheaper than the private sector," said Agrawal.

In addition to these facilities, AIIMS will introduce the cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CB-Naat) for tuberculosis patients.

The department of microbiology will provide quick service for detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum and body fluids in cases of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

Attendants of patients will not have to worry for accommodation with the institute inaugurating a rest shed on its campus. The rest shed will accommodate 250 persons.

This came as a major relief for those who accompany patients. In the next phase, the institute is planning to build a night shelter that will accommodate nearly 540 persons.

Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate these facilities.

"AIIMS is one government facility in Odisha that competes with services at private or corporate hospitals here," said Dinesh Majhi, a patient attendant from Khurda.