Chandigarh: With the Gamma Knife unit at PGI only intermittently functional for over a year, hundreds of patients suffering from deep-seated brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations, and trigeminal neuralgia find themselves caught between life and death.The implications of the delay at PGI, the primary tertiary referral centre for non-invasive brain radiosurgery across northern India, are grave. The operational shutdown has halted a critical, incision-free treatment option for more than 100 patients annually from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana.PGI’s responseResponding to TOI’s queries about the delay and the measures being taken by PGI, Prof Rakesh Kapoor, in-charge of procurement, said, “We understand the concern regarding the non-operational status of the Gamma Knife facility and the inconvenience caused to patients who require stereotactic radiosurgery. Till Feb 19, 2026, Gamma Knife radiosurgery was functional for clinical indications. The institute has been actively pursuing the matter with the Govt of India. We are pleased to inform that the proposal for replacement/upgradation of the Gamma Knife system has been provisionally approved by the ministry concerned. The project is currently under consideration for implementation on a priority basis, and the institute is closely coordinating with the authorities concerned to expedite the procurement and installation process.”Frequent breakdownsAssurances apart, the equipment had not been functioning at its optimal capacity. Originally procured in 2008 at a cost of over Rs 30 crore, the unit exceeded its 10-year operational lifespan, suffered frequent breakdowns, and saw its warranties and maintenance contracts expire before finally being declared unfit for use.Because the specialised radiation machine relies on a radioactive cobalt source costing around Rs 5 crore, institutional officials determined that reinvesting such a massive sum in an obsolete, end-of-life machine was impractical. Consequently, the process of procuring a new Gamma Knife unit was initiated around four years ago.System not made in IndiaSince Gamma Knife systems are not manufactured in India, acquiring a new machine requires a special policy exemption under Union govt’s “Make in India” procurement regulations.The exemption file has been pending with the Union finance ministry for years. Officials noted that even after the ministry grants the necessary approval, importing, installing, and commissioning the replacement machine will take about a year.PGI is not the only public facility affected by such red tape. AIIMS Jodhpur has also been awaiting ministry approvals for its own Gamma Knife unit.Most vulnerable are worst hitThe bureaucratic backlog has dealt a devastating blow to underprivileged patients. While PGI provided the treatment free of cost to poor patients, or at Rs 37,500 in the general category and Rs 1 lakh in private wards, patients now have no regional public alternative north of Delhi.With PGI’s unit lying defunct, patients are forced either to face long waiting lists at AIIMS Delhi or turn to private hospitals in places such as Gurugram, where the procedure costs up to five times more, making life-saving treatment inaccessible for many.BOX: What Ailed PGI’s Gamma Knife Unit–Overage equipment–Installed in 2008 at a cost of over Rs 30 crore— Exceeded its prescribed 10-year operational lifespan— Suffered repeated technical failures in recent years— Warranty and maintenance contracts lapsed— Unit was eventually declared unfit for useBox: Costly cobalt source–Unit requires replacement of radioactive cobalt source costing around Rs 5 crore–Officials found it impractical to invest further in an obsolete machineBox: Treatment disruptedFacility has remained non-functional for over a yearMore than 100 patients annually have lost access to a key non-invasive brain radiosurgery service in the region.
