Will the Cancer Institute at Nagpur remain a distant dream?

Will the Cancer Institute at Nagpur remain a distant dream?

Central Govt says no provision of financial assistance more than Rs 6 crore






By Vikas Vaidya


Considering the growing menace of Cancer, Government of India has allocated Rs 3200 crore for Tertiary Cancer Centre. But the dream of establishing Cancer Institute at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur seems to remain a distant dream.
A proposal for financial assistance of Rs.378.47 crore has been received by Department of Health and Family Welfare from Government of Maharashtra to establish a comprehensive Cancer Institute at Government Medical College and Hospital at Nagpur. The extant scheme for cancer (The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke-NPCDCS) does not have provisions to consider a proposal of this magnitude. The existing scheme provides for a financial assistance up to Rs.6 crore (Rs.4.80 crore from Central Government and Rs.1.20 crore from State Government) after fulfilling the guidelines and conditions. In the 12th Five Year Plan, Rs.3200 crores has been allocated for Tertiary Cancer Care and under the National Rural Health Mission Rs.6000 crore for interventions up to district level for cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and stroke.Dr Krishna Kamble, Head, Department of Radiotherapy had met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan at Nagpur during winter session of state legislature with some Cancer patients. Thes Cancer patients expressed their grievences. After listening to their problems tears had rolled down from the eyes of CM. Then Government had announced Cancer Institute at Nagpur.
Dr Kamble is taking efforts since long. He said, “If NRHM has funds then why cant Government make use of the same as it is also its own agency. Only GMCH’s Radiotherapy department has Post Graduation so the establishment of Cancer Institute will serve the purpose.”
Earlier, on two occasions the funds had been allocated for department of radiotherapy but were diverted. On one occasion Government cited the reason that money had been provided under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY) and on other occasion, it was told that because of another Cancer institute (Rashtra Sant Tukadoji Cancer Hospital), the funds could not be given. On both occasions Department had to experience the disappointment.
Health is a State subject, to supplement the efforts of the State Governments in prevention, detection, treatment and management of cancer cases, Government of India has launched a comprehensive National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke (NPCDCS) in 2010 in 100 districts across 21 States. Government of India provides support for diagnosis, research and treatment by strengthening RCCs and Government Medical College Hospitals under NPCDCS
As ascertained from the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, the National Cancer Grid is envisaged to be a network of existing and future major cancer centres in the country created with the mandate of: Creating uniform standards of patient care across the length and breadth of country, bringing high quality cancer care to the doorsteps of patients. The another aspect is augmenting human resource capabilities in cancer management in the country. The issue of promoting collaborative research in cancer has been emphasized. Even Nagpur’s GMCH was not included in National Cancer Grid.

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