Swedish minister visits AIIMS

The Swedish Minister for Health and Social Affairs, Mr Göran Hägglund visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Tuesday.

During his visit to the Neurosurgery department at AIIMS, Hägglund interacted with the neurosurgeons there.

He supervised the functioning of Elekta Gamma Knife Facility, the Swedish technology installed in the Gamma Knife Centre of the hospital.

“I have come here to explore option of Swedish technology in India and to see whether it can work in the Indian scenario,” said the Minister.

A senior neurosurgeon said the Swedish facility was installed in AIIMS only in August 2011. But nearly 300 patients have already been treated.

Hägglund also had discussions with experts on non-communicable diseases and elderly care in India.

Gamma Knife Surgery is knifeless radiosurgery in which powerful doses of radiation are given to target and treat diseased brain tissues while leaving surrounding tissues intact.

Thus, the otherwise inoperable tumors due to their close location to vital organs can also be treated effectively.