Chemotherapy extended to all districts in Odisha

Bhubaneswar:  Free cancer treatment will now be available in every district as Odisha Government on Tuesday extended free chemotherapy facility in all the district headquarter hospitals (DHH) in the state.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced for the extension of the much needed facility on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day today.

Odisha is the second State where cancer chemotherapy is provided at DHHs after Madhya Pradesh.

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Earlier free chemotherapy was available in 13 districts including Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Phulbani and Puri.

Free cancer care was also available at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and Ispat General Hospital (IGH), Rourkela.

Patnaik said that the service would benefit the cancer patients from the rural and tribal areas of the state who can now get chemotherapy and consultation free of cost.

As per sources, nearly 40,000 to 60,000 new cancer patients are being detected in Odisha every year. At present, there are around three lakh cases of surviving cancer patients here.