Odisha to get world class cancer care, research innovation centre by Dec 2025

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday laid the foundation stone for Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBHRC) near here and said Odisha will get a world class cancer care, research and innovation center by December 2025.

The state-of-the-art facility and research center at NISER campus at Jatani will be a 200-bed cancer hospital, he said. The facility will be a great boost for people of Odisha in the treatment of cancer as they will no longer have to rush to Mumbai or other big cities for the purpose and will be saved from financial and mental distress.

Patnaik said that healthcare is a top priority of the Odisha government and the state is spending more than Rs 225 crore every month for medical expenses of about 1.25 lakh people. Stating that Odisha is witnessing a massive transformation in the healthcare sector, he said "We are strengthening our health infrastructure, prioritizing health education, and making regular recruitments of doctors. New medical colleges are coming up every year creating a huge pool of trained doctors.

Our flagship Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana is providing free healthcare to over 94 lakh families in top healthcare institutions across the country," he said. The hospital will be the most advanced research level cyclotron in Asia and will be empanelled under the scheme for providing free healthcare to patients of Odisha. Apart from Odisha, cancer patients of neighboring states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Chhatisgarh will be benefited, he said. The chief minister said the state government has provided over 65 acres and Rs 150 crore financial assistance for the medical cyclotron facility here. Wide access roads, direct transport support along with top class bus stops and a dedicated fire station near the proposed hospital are the facilities to be created by the government. An aahar kendra (cheap meal centre) will also be set up in the premises of the hospital.

Patnaik thanked the department of atomic energy, NISER and Tata Steel foundation and Tata Memorial Centre for providing support for the establishment of this facility. The facility will house the latest cancer treatment technology, including radiation therapy, advanced surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and stem cell transplant. It will be a hub for cancer research, fostering innovation and breakthroughs in cancer treatment and prevention, an official said.

Odisha signed an MoU with Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai in September 2022 for the establishment of the hospital. Tata Steel Foundation will build the hospital at a cost of Rs 250 crore and donate it to Tata Memorial Centre, department of atomic energy for running it. Department of atomic energy has sanctioned Rs 400 crore to purchase equipment, construct the residential complex and hire human resources.