By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: The State Government and Tata Trusts will jointly spend Rs 1,000 crore in the next five years for Odisha Comprehensive Cancer Care Programme that aims at providing cancer treatment at affordable price. Chairing the first advisory committee meeting here on Monday, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said road map for the programme has been worked out and it will be implemented in a three-tire model with focus on preventive and clinical care. As per the decision, one Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) - Odisha Cancer Care Foundation will be constituted as a management entity under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department.
“The Rs 1,000 crore provisioned initially for the programme, will be shared by State and Tata Trusts on 50:50 basis. The project will be integrated with other ongoing programmes of the State and Central Governments for additional funds,” Padhi told reporters after the meeting. The Committee has decided to go for intensive screening, awareness and palliative care at community level. Around 15 clinical units with different levels of treatment facilities will be set up in various parts of the State.
While one state-of-the-art Tata Memorial Hospital will be established at Bhubaneswar which will serve as Level-1 hospital with all types of super specialty care, it has been proposed to set up Level-2 units in Government Medical Colleges at Burla, Berhampur, Koraput, Kalahandi and Capital Hospital at Bhubaneswar. The State Government will provide 25 acre of land free of cost for the Memorial Hospital. The existing Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre at Cuttack will be upgraded to Level-1.
Similarly, Level-3 units will be set up at District Headquarters Hospitals at Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Baripada, Balasore, Balangir, Bargarh, Nabarangpur and Angul. The Chief Secretary has directed the officials concerned to expedite the infrastructural development works and roll out various services in different phases within two years.
Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan advised constitution of district level multi-task cancer care committee for proper integration and implementation of the programme. Among others, Health Secretary Dr Pramod Meherda was present. Earlier, an MoU in this regard was signed here on May 6 and Tata Trusts chairman Ratan Tata was in the city for the purpose.
