Modern oncology centre with all treatment and diagnosis facilities envisaged in Patna Medical College in first phase
Bihar has initiated an ambitious cancer treatment plan under public private partnership (PPP) mode. The three-staged plan of Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Limited (BMSICL) will provide for the entire gamut of cancer treatment in the state.
The project would be one of the largest cancer treatment facilities under PPP mode in the country. The state blueprint for cancer treatment networks nearly all the prominent government hospitals for the treatment.
Too many patients, too few facilities
At present, Bihar registers nearly 80,000 cancer patients every year. But only a handful of hospitals in the state have an oncology department.
BMSICL has already started pre-bidding meeting with the major oncology service providers in the country. It held a marathon meeting with companies like Roentgen Oncologic Solutions of Delhi, Imperial Health Private Limited of Delhi, Philips Healthcare of Gurgaon, Wipro GE Healthcare of West Bengal and Patna-based Paras Hospital on Tuesday.
In the first phase, a modern oncology centre will be established at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) that will have all facilities for treatment of cancer. In the second phase, district hospitals, including the ones at Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Bettiah, Pawapuri and NMCH Patna would be upgraded for cancer treatment.
The district hospitals will have facilities for cytological examination, biopsy, radiology and sonology. In the third phase, it will be ensured that every block has at least a cancer detection centre.
Promise of affordable treatment
Praveen Kishore, managing director of BMSICL, said that government will ensure that the cancer patients get economical treatment within the state. “We will provide free cancer treatment facility for below poverty line patients,” he said.
Patna-based Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, run by a trust, claims to be second largest cancer treatment hub in the country. The largest one being Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Cancer Research. The trust recently claimed that it treats nearly 300,000 cancer patients every year and that most of them are in advanced stages of cancer.
Report: World Cancer Factsheet
Report: Punjab state report on cancer awareness & symptom based early detection campaign
Feature: Pattern and trends of cancer in Odisha, India: A retrospective study
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.