BHUBANESWAR : Bagchi Karunashraya Palliative Care Centre is the best example of humanism and a great reflection of charity, kindness and compassion, said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday.
Inaugurating the centre at Info Valley - II on the outskirts of the city, the chief minister praised its founders and said such selfless contribution in the field of social service is rarely seen these days.
The palliative care centre is a collaborative effort of Bangalore Hospice Trust (BHT), Karunashraya and renowned tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Subroto Bagchi for which the Bagchi family had pledged Rs 130 crore.
“The Bagchi couple is a role model for Odisha. Their initiative will definitely inspire others to serve the society. The treatment of cancer is very costly and with the death of the patient due to the disease, the family also faces financial hardship. The centre will alleviate the suffering of poor patients,” he said.
The 110-bed centre will provide free specialised medical care to cancer patients who can get relief from pain and other symptoms of end-stage disease. The Odisha government has provided land and other related facilities for this centre at a subsidised rate.
Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Karunashraya is the greatest model of public service in India and reflects what sacrifice, compassion and empathy mean to some great souls. He expressed gratitude to the Bagchi couple on behalf of the people of Odisha for establishing the centre and a cancer hospital in the state.
Health and Family Welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling said the institution has been established with the noble intention of providing services to cancer patients who are fighting death. The government will provide all support to the centre, he assured.
Speaking on the occasion, Bagchi said cancer affects the entire family along with the patient. “For this, there is a need for compassion along with treatment. Cancer treatment cannot be left to the government alone. We all have to extend out cooperation,” he said.
Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja and managing trustee of BHT Gurmeet Singh Randhawa were present among others.