Altering Assam by ensuring better healthcare facility, BJP President Amit Shah lays foundation for 19 cancer centers

Guwahati, June 19: Ensuring better medical facility for the people in the Northeast and improve cancer care facility in Assam, Bhartiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Monday laid the foundation stone of 19 new cancer care centres in presence of Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata during a ceremonial function held at the Veterinary College ground, Khanapara in Guwahati.

Addressing the event, BJP President Amit Shah said that this is one of the biggest initiatives taken by the Assam government in improving health sectors in past years. Acknowledging the crucial role played by Tata Trusts with their charitable activities, Amit Shah said that Tata Trust has helped in boosting public health sector in different parts of the country for so many years.

Further Amit Shah also referred to schemes of central government like Ayushman Bharat which covers approximately 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up-to 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization and Mission Indradhanush which aims to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against seven vaccine-preventable diseases.

Shah said that this cancer care programme will enable the underprivileged section of the society get access to quality cancer treatment while minimizing out of pocket expenses. He also appreciated the Assam government under chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal for taking up such mega projects within a short period of time to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state.

On the other hand, Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata said that cancer is a silent killer.

“Since the north-eastern part of the country has the highest occurrence of cancer cases, the Tata Trusts is committed in making cancer care inclusive. Since its inception, Tata Trusts has played a revolutionary role in transforming traditional ideas of charity and introducing the concept of humanity to make a real difference to communities. Researchers under the Trusts are working for finding cutting-edge solutions to manage cancer efficiently so that mortality due to cancer can be reduced through awareness, prevention, and early detection while taking care closer to the people,” Ratan Tata said.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that cancer treatment takes a heavy toll on the mental, physical and financial conditions of not only the patient but also the whole family. But the setting up of this 19 hospital cancer care grid in the state will revolutionize the whole cancer management and patients would be able to avail quality treatment without going outside the state.

 

Sonowal said that, said that ever since coming to power the present state government has initiated many schemes like Atal Amrit Abhiyan, free diagnostic facilities which have improved the public health scenario in the state. This move will further bolster the needs of the people and help in changing the healthcare facility by enabling proper services.

In the next 24 months, the construction works of the centers are expected to be completed. The state government and Tata Trusts collaborated for a joint venture under which a three-tier cancer care grid will be established in Assam with a corpus of Rs 2,200 crore to be shared on an equal basis by both parties. As per data, 90,000 cancer cases were detected in the state in the previous five years.