PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NATIONAL NUCLEAR MEDICINE EXPANSION PROGRAMME

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) outlines its National Nuclear Medicine Expansion Programme, detailing contributions from BARC, VECC, and Tata Memorial Centre (TMC). BARC operates clinical services at Mumbai and Kolkata, while VECC’s 30 MeV cyclotron produces radioisotopes for cancer diagnostics. TMC provides gamma camera imaging, PET‑CT, and a six‑bed high‑dose radionuclide therapy ward, using isotopes such as I‑131, Lu‑177 and Ga‑68 compounds. A dedicated Isotope Production Reactor is under construction at BARC, Visakhapatnam, to boost domestic isotope supply. DAE also runs specialised training programmes (MD, M.Sc., Diploma) to build skilled manpower for nuclear medicine and cancer care.