BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCHRC) coming up at the National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar (NISER) near Jatni will be a hub of cancer research, fostering innovation and breakthroughs in treatment and prevention.
At the groundbreaking ceremony of the project here on Tuesday, the chief minister said the state-of-the-art facility and research unit with a 200-bed cancer hospital will be developed as a cancer care, research and innovation centre of global standards.
A joint venture between Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the Rs 650 crore project is expected to be fully commissioned by December 2025. TSF will build the hospital at a cost of Rs 250 crore and donate it to Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) while DAE has sanctioned Rs 400 crore for medical equipment, Dharmashala, residential complex and human resources.
The Odisha government has handed over 65 acres of land and financial assistance of Rs 150 crore for a medical cyclotron facility on a five-acre area on the NISER premises. This will be the most advanced research-level cyclotron in Asia. Naveen said the state government will provide wide access road, and direct transport support through the Mo Bus initiative along with a dedicated fire station in its close proximity. The hospital will be empanelled under the flagship Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) to provide free health care to patients of Odisha. An Aahar centre will also be set up on its premises, he said.
Health care is a top priority of the state government, he said and emphasised that Odisha is witnessing a massive transformation in the sector. “We are strengthening our health infrastructure and prioritising health care and education by making regular recruitment of doctors,” he added.In September last year, the state government inked a pact with TMC, Mumbai for HBCHRC.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the facility will provide latest cancer treatment including radiation therapy, advanced surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and stem cell transplant ensuring patients receive the best possible care. It will also foster community outreach to create awareness about cancer prevention and early detection and treatment through screening and early detection programmes in the state. The groundbreaking ceremony was organised nearly four months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the centre in May.