Naveen Patnaik unveils Bagchi Sri Shankara Cancer hospital
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday inaugurated the Bagchi Sri Shankara Cancer Centre and Research Institute at Info Valley on the outskirts of the city. Built at a cost of Rs 410 crore, the state-of-the-art institute is poised to bring a paradigm shift to cancer care in eastern India.
The chief minister said, the advanced cancer institute signals a new era in quality and affordable cancer care. The centre will be able to provide cancer management to at least one-third of the cancer patients in Odisha. “The state government is consistently focusing on better health care provisions for people. Odisha has emerged as the medical care destination of entire eastern region in the last two decades. New medical colleges have been opened in different parts of the state. Primary, secondary and tertiary health care systems have been strengthened,” he said.
The chief minister thanked the Bagchi family and Sri Shankara Foundation for the compassionate initiative and appealed people to be aware of the causes of cancer and change their lifestyle. “We can keep diseases at bay if we maintain a healthy lifestyle and fulfil our dream of healthy Odisha, happy Odisha,” he added.
Equipped with the latest and sophisticated technology in cancer care with 12 cutting-edge modular operation theatres, two state-of-the-art linear accelerators and a brachytherapy unit for radiation oncology, the centre can deliver the most advanced radiotherapy to more than 300 patients every day. A 60-bed day care unit with pioneering facilities for imaging and laboratory diagnostics will provide chemotherapy treatment to more than 150 patients daily. It has a dedicated paediatric cancer unit.
Chief advisor to Odisha government for institutional capacity building Subroto Bagchi said the hospital has been built in such a manner that patients will feel being treated in a divine atmosphere. “The world class hospital belongs to Odisha and the people of Odisha. Health care services here are more patient-centric as focus has been given on satisfaction of patients and the effectiveness of healthcare. Doctors and staff of Sri Shankara Foundation will run the hospital independently,” he said.
Managing trustee of Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation Dr BS Srinath said the super specialty cancer hospital built on 22 acre land given free of cost by the state government boasts of a team of highly skilled and experienced oncologists and medical professionals, who will provide compassionate, holistic and personalised care to each patient.
In 2011, Bagchi and his wife Susmita Bagchi had pledged Rs 210 crore for the hospital apart from Rs 130 crore for a palliative care centre that is being set up in collaboration with Bengaluru-based Hospice Trust Karunashraya Foundation. Health and Family Welfare Minister Niranjan Pujari, chairman of 5T initiatives and Nabin Odisha VK Pandian, Health secretary Shalini Pandit were present.