Radiation to sterilise medical products

The first ISOMED radiation plant in India in fact in South and Southeast Asia has been set up at Trombay as a joint venture of the Department of Atomic Energy and the United Nations Development Programme.

The use of a radiation plant for sterilising medical products came into vogue in 1963, first in the United States when a wellknown pharmaceutical company used cotton and other cotton gauze for medical purposes. The United Kingdom later put on stream many welldeveloped plants. There are four plants in Britain using advanced technology in this field.

One of the features of the Trombay centre is that scientists and technologists have incorporated the latest design and technical expertise in this plant. It went on steam in early January this year much ahead of schedule. The plant has received financial and technical assistance from the UNDP and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Similar plants are contemplated for the southern, western and eastern regions.

Loaded initially with a Cobalt60 source of 100,000 curies activity, the plant can sterilise about 3,300 cubic metres of locally manufactured medical products annually. It is proposed to expand its capacity tenfold with the builtin capability as demand for the facility increases. The new facility will provide a major impetus to the growth of ancillary industries, especially in the manufacture of plastic medical appliances.

Isomed will also serve as a centre for training scientists, engineers and technicians from other developing countries. Already a beginning has been made with the training of scientists and technologists from Indonesia and the Philippines.