CUTTACK: Cancer patients at government run Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC) are unable to get radiation treatment and suffering as the radiation therapy machine has become defunct since last one week.The Linear Accelerator (LINAC) equipment, a state-of-the art machine used for radiation treatment in cancer patients has been lying defunct for last eight days. Over 60 patients were provided high energy radiation through the machine on any single day. But as the machine is now defunct the patients are facing serious problem in availing the treatment,LINAC, the most advanced machine which pinpoints at cancer cells and destroys them without affecting the healthy tissue, was procured by AHRCC in 2016 at a cost of Rs 30 crore. Another Rs 17 crore was spent in constructing a special structure to keep the high end LINAC machine However, officials of the hospital has claimed that due to faulty construction water seepage is taking place in the LINAC complex and even the machine has got affected due to it.“Parts of the machine are getting exposed to water as the LINAC complex is leaking. There is an urgent need to look into the problem,” said a senior official who wished not to be named.Meanwhile, the defunct LINAC machine has increased miseries of the cancer patients. “I am poor and cannot afford to undergo radiation sessions in any private hospital. I have to bear the pain and wait patiently till the machine becomes functional at AHRCC,” said Santanu Das, a patient.However, the hospital authorities have claimed that measures are being taken to make the radiation machine functional at the earliest. “The LINAC machine emits low energy and high energy radiations. The low energy part is functioning properly but the machine is not emitting high energy radiation due to some technical glitches. We have already placed order for procurement of the machine that needs replacement. The problem will be resolved in two to three days,” administrative officer of AHRCC, Rudra Dash EOM

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