Assam gets 19-hospital cancer care grid with Tata push

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, June 18

Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata on Monday centrally laid the foundation of the 19-hospital cancer care grid project worth Rs 1,910 crore in Assam in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and a host of cancer care experts from across the country.

Tata promised that the Trusts would remain committed to lead the fight against silent killer cancer in the country. The initiative in Assam promises to revolutionise cancer care in the high-incidence Northeast region. The grid of cancer care hospitals will become fully operational within two years, Sarma said. Shah called upon Tata Trusts to collaborate with other states of the region to set up similar cancer care units in those states.

The Assam Government and Tata Trusts have joined hands to float Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF) with an initial capital of Rs 1,910 crore to set up the cancer care grid comprising 18 hospitals and an apex research and development multi-specialty unit in Guwahati Medical College cancer care unit. The Tata Trusts have initially invested Rs 830 crore and the state government has invested Rs 1,080 crore.

Tata said: “Cancer is a silent killer. More people are killed in our country by cancer than the world average and the region tops the chart in India. It is very laudable that the Assam Government with the help of the Centre has taken initiatives to address it.” The ACCF will be run by a Trust comprising six members, three each from the state government and Tata Trusts. The Assam health minister will be the chairman of the Trust that will manage cancer care hospitals.

The cancer care grid would have five Level-3 cancer day care units where basic treatment will be provided while there will be 12 Level-2 cancer care units where advanced multi-specialty treatment will be provided.