Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space has lauded the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Mumbai for developing Eye Cancer therapy in the form of the first indigenous Ruthenium 106 Plaque for treatment of Ocular Tumours. The handling of plaque is very convenient for the surgeon and it has been acknowledged to be at par with the international standards.

Pertinent to mention that in October last year, Dr KN Vyas, Chairman cum Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) had held a detailed discussion with MoSIncharge Atomic Energy Dr Singh regarding the feasibility of developing this regimen of ophthalmic patches by the Department of Atomic Energy. AIIMS, New Delhi agreed to use the Plaque developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for Eye Cancer treatment and it was in September 2020 that it was used for the first time for the treatment of a patient with Choroidal Hemangioma and the results proved to be satisfactory.

According to Dr Atul Kumar, Professor and Head, Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS New Delhi, so far the BARC plaques made in India through the Department of Atomic Energy have been used for seven cases for Ocular Cancer, out of which two were Retinoblastoma, two were Choroidal Melanoma, two Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia (OSSN) and one case of Choroidal Hemangioma.