Centre will set up 20 state cancer institutes and 50 tertiary care cancer centres, Modi says

CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the central government is planning to set up 20 state cancer institutes and 50 tertiary care cancer centres in different parts of the country.
Participating at an event in Adyar Cancer Institute here, Modi said, “Proposals can be approved for eligible institutions up to Rs 45 crore for setting up of tertiary care cancer centre and up to Rs 120 crore for setting up of state cancer institute. I am happy to note that proposals for setting up 15 state cancer institutes and 20 tertiary care cancer centres have been approved so far,” Modi said, reminding 14 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences are being set up with focus on oncology.

Under PM Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, eight existing institutions are being upgraded with provision of oncology services. Under the comprehensive primary health care aspect of Ayushman Bharat, preventive and curative services are provided to people near their homes. “We have initiated population-based prevention, control, screening and management of common non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hyper-tension and common cancers,” Modi said.

He called upon non-government organisations and private sector to “prevent, control and manage diseases” like cancer.

The Prime Minister hailed the achievements of Adyar Cancer Institute headed by Dr V Shanta, a voluntary charitable institution founded by a group of women social workers under the leadership of late Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy. The institute, started as a small cottage hospital, was the first cancer specialty hospital in south India and the second in the country. About 30% of the 500 beds in the hospital are free and patients are not charged.

The molecular oncology department of the institute was designated as Centre of Excellence in 2007 by the central government. It is the first super specialty college in the country established in 1984.