Odisha govt, Tata Trusts to set up cancer care hospital

A sum of Rs 800 crore has been earmarked for executing the cancer care projects under the programme over the next five years

The Odisha government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tata Trusts to set up a cancer treatment and research hospital in Bhubaneswar. The MoU was recently signed in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata in Bhubaneswar.

As part of the MoU, the Tata Trusts will set up and manage the state-of-the-art cancer treatment and research hospital in the state capital while the Odisha government will facilitate in setting up the centre by providing land to the extent of 25 acres, free of cost, the official said.

The cancer treatment facility at Bhubaneswar will be benchmarked to the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that the state government has been taking pro-active measures towards improving cancer care in the state including infrastructure upgradation at the district hospitals for providing chemotherapy, free of cost.

Stating that Tata Trusts has immense expertise in the field of cancer care and research, Patnaik said the comprehensive cancer care programme in partnership with Tata Trusts would create the much needed synergy.

The Tata Trusts Chairman said cancer is a major thrust area and the Tatas would share their knowledge in cancer care to support the state’s efforts in high-end cancer treatment, he said.

A sum of Rs 800 crore has been earmarked for executing the cancer care projects under the programme over the next five years. Of this, the state government’s share will be Rs 500 crore, while Tata Trusts have committed Rs 300 crore, an official statement said.

The Odisha government will also fund the operational expenses of all facilities established under the programme and support in full the free treatment of poor and needy patients, the statement said.

The comprehensive care programme, as per the MoU, will be set up through a three-tier network of facilities with the Tata Trusts’ proposed Centre at Bhubaneswar and Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre in Cuttack as apex centres.

Medical colleges in the state and district hospitals will be equipped to offer diagnostics and standardised day care chemotherapy with select district hospitals additionally offering radiotherapy services, the official said.