Regional cancer hospitals in Vizag and Kurnool to start by Sept

Vijayawada: Health minister Vidadala Rajini has said major interventional changes are being made to effectively deal with cancer in Andhra Pradesh. Under this, Regional Cancer Hospitals will come up in Vizag and Kurnool by September.

The minister said the state government is offering complete treatment for cancer, free of cost, under the Aarogyasri initiative.

A review meeting was held by the minister at APIIC Towers in Mangalagiri on Monday, with medical and health department officials to explain the major changes being effected in cancer treatment methods in AP.

State government adviser on comprehensive cancer care, Dr Nori Dattatreyudu, was among those who attended the review meeting. Principals of all government medical colleges, superintendents of teaching hospitals, senior officials, staff of government cancer hospitals and representatives of Tata Cancer Care participated in the video conference from across the state.

Minister Rajini said that by 2030, no single patient will have to go outside the state for cancer treatment. “Chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is working with great determination in the treatment of cancer. In the past, there was no proper treatment for cancer in the state,” she said.

“Some 400 cancer procedures are being treated free of charge through Aarogyasri. For this, the government is spending more than ₹400 crore annually. Facilities are being made available to provide cancer treatment in all the government teaching hospitals and the government has sanctioned ₹118 crore for this purpose,” the minister said.

Rajini said ₹46 crore is being spent on the purchase of equipment for cancer treatment in Visakha alone. “A regional cancer hospital is being made available in Kurnool with a spend of ₹120 crore. Regional cancer hospitals in Visakhapatnam and Kurnool will be ready by September. We are going ahead with the plan to build regional cancer hospitals in two other places as well,” she added.

The minister said CM Jagan Mohan Reddy was taking steps to provide comprehensive treatment for cancer at the rate of one hospital in every 50km radius.

Dr Nori Dattatreyudu, government adviser on comprehensive cancer care, said AP was the third state to declare cancer as a notifiable disease. “The government is developing the Balaji Institute of Oncology in Tirupati as a regional hub. We are also taking the special initiative in providing paediatric oncology services and CM Jagan is keen on the state government providing comprehensive treatment for cancer free of cost,” he said.

Chief secretary to the medical and health department Krishna Babu, commissioner of health and family welfare J Niwas, Aarogyasri CEO Harindra Prasad and other senior officials were present.