New Delhi: Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute opens new centre

New Delhi: The Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC) has commissioned a new cancer centre in South Delhi's Gautam Nagar Area, it said.

The oncology centre has been started in collaboration with the National Chest Institute.

"In view of the growing need for expeditious screening, quality care and expert intervention, we consider it important to expand our footprint to enable all cancer patients to have access to world-class yet affordable facilities," said D.S. Negi, CEO RGCIRC.

According to him, the new centre will make it convenient for those residing in South Delhi as well as those in Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Ghaziabad to come for treatment.

"We have set up the South Delhi centre to cater to the pressing need for our services in this part of the National capital region," Negi said.

As per Indian medical statistics, more than 1,300 people die of cancer everyday in the country. Cancer in Delhi have registered a rapid rise since 2008-09.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), cancer cases in India are expected to jump from around 14 lakh in 2016 to over 17.3 lakh by 2020. Deaths due to cancer are also projected to go up from 7.36 lakh to over 8.8 lakh in the next four years.

Negi said: "We get more than 60,000 patients every year for diagnosis and treatment at our main campus in Rohini. RGCIRC carries a legacy of 20 years, having catered to more than 2 lakh patients. We sincerely hope our expertise will help many more people."