Tata Trusts to set up Cancer Care Hospital in Bhubaneswar

Tata Trusts has announced to set up and manage a state-of-the-art cancer treatment and research hospital in Bhubaneswar.

Odisha government on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Trusts for the same. The state government will provide 25-acre land free of cost for the Tata’s Cancer Care Centre, which will be similar to the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.

Apart from the apex hospital, the state government also entered into a partnership with the Tata Trusts for a comprehensive cancer care programme under which the district level hospitals and medical colleges will be equipped to provide better cancer care.

Speaking on the occasion chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, “The state government has been taking pro-active measures towards improving cancer care in the state including infrastructure upgradation of district hospitals both in terms of trained doctors and staff to provide free chemotherapy in all the 30 districts of the state.”

He further added the Tata Trusts has immense expertise in the field of cancer care and research. The Comprehensive Cancer Care Programme in partnership with Tata Trusts will certainly create the much-needed synergy, Naveen said.

The MoU was signed by health secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda and managing trustee of Tata Trusts, R Venkataramanan.

As per the MoU, the proposed Tata hospital and the state-run Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre in Cuttack will function as top-end referral centres.

Chairman of Tata Trusts, Ratan Tata said, “Cancer is a major thrust area and the Tatas will share their knowledge in cancer care to support the state’s effort in high-end cancer treatment.”

Health minister Pratap Jena said the agreement with Tata will help the state in creating a state-wide cancer care network with an objective to take treatment closest to patients. “After this, patients from Odisha don’t need to travel outside for cancer treatment. Poor and needy patients will get free services,” Jena added.

While the Tata Trusts has not disclosed the amount to be spent for the proposed hospital, a sum of Rs 800 crore has been earmarked for executing and grounding other components of the cancer care programme over a period of next five years. Out of this, the state government will spend Rs 500 crore and Tata Trust will spend Rs 300 crore, the government said. Besides, the government will also fund the operational expenses of all facilities established under the programme.