Centre Sanctions Rs 60 Crore Linac Units for AP Cancer Care
ONGC CSR funds LINAC units for Guntur and Kadapa government hospitals.
Vijayawada: In a major boost to cancer care infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr Pemmassani Chandrasekhar has announced the sanction of two state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machines for government hospitals in Guntur and Kadapa under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
The two advanced LINAC machines, each costing approximately Rs 30 crore, represent a total investment of Rs 60 crore. These machines will enable the delivery of international-standard radiotherapy services, significantly enhancing cancer treatment capacity in the state.
Chandrasekhar met Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri and expressed gratitude for ONGC’s CSR support in strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s healthcare infrastructure.
According to official data, lakhs of people were screened during a large-scale cancer detection drive across the state, leading to the identification of 22,888 suspected cancer cases. Thousands of patients are currently undergoing treatment, highlighting the need for expanded facilities.
The machines will be installed at government hospitals in Guntur and Kadapa. Specialised bunkers, infrastructure, trained oncologists and technical staff are already in place, enabling services to commence soon after installation. The procurement will be undertaken through HLL Lifecare Limited in a transparent and expedited manner.
Chandrasekhar said the initiative would benefit patients not only from Andhra Pradesh but also from neighbouring states by providing timely and advanced radiotherapy services closer to their homes.
