Odisha joins hands with Tata Trusts for Cancer Care

Bhubaneswar: The State government and Tata Trusts today joined hands to make cancer care available to people across Odisha.

As part of its cancer control initiatives, Tata Trusts will establish an apex cancer care centre in Bhubaneswar, upgrade the AHRCC at Cuttack to a comprehensive cancer care hospital and facilitate diagnostics and standardised daycare chemotherapy at all district headquarter hospitals.

The apex cancer care centre in Bhubaneswar will enable patients in the State to avail modern world class cancer treatment facilities at affordable rates, informed the officials during signing of the MoU between both the parties.

The initiative is believed to set up an integrated, distributed cancer care network and to take treatment close to patients. Screening, early detection of cancer and  free chemotherapy provisions will be made in all 30 districts of the State.

The Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC) in Cuttack will be upgraded to a comprehensive cancer care hospital to handle complex cases on a referral basis.

Selected medical colleges in the State will be strengthened to offer diagnostics and treatment of cancer cases whereas all district hospitals, will be equipped to provide standardised day care chemotherapy. Few of these will offer Radiotherapy services, officials informed.

The network will also leverage cancer care related schemes of the Union and State government such as National Oral Health, Tobacco Control, Palliative Care and Health Insurance programmes.