Tirupati: CM inaugurates Rs 180 crores Tata Trusts Cancer hospital

Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday inaugurated a charitable state-of-the-art cancer care institute set up by the Tata Trusts at Alipiri, the foothills of Tirumala here.

Built at a cost of Rs 180 crore, the sprawling cancer hospital called Sri Venkateswara Institute of Cancer Care and Advanced Research (SVICCAR) was constructed by Tata Trusts on a site allotted by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that administers the shrine of Lord Venkateswara here, a TTD official said.

Tata Trusts CEO N Srinath took part in the inaugural function of the cancer institute, the official said. The 92-bed comprehensive cancer treatment centre would provide services ranging from cancer diagnostics, to medical and surgical oncology to radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, he told PTI.

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Jagan said, "We are proud and glad that Tata Trusts has come forward to collaborate with TTD and the State Government. This is a kind of masterpiece in Tirupati that will go a long way. TTD has also put in a lot of energy and effort, and the State Government has also requested TTD to now focus on medical services."

Mr. Srinath N, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Trusts, said, "Cancer Care needs to be enhanced and made affordable and accessible, which the Trusts are attempting to do through a distributed care model. We believe that through early screening, state-of-art infrastructure and equipment and well trained medical onco-practitioners, precious lives can be saved. We are hopeful that SVICCAR will be able to provide relief and care to many, especially the most marginalised in society."

Dr. Sanjiv Chopra, Chief Executive, Cancer Care Programme, Tata Trusts, said, "At Cancer Care Programme, we are focusing on holistic care which starts before the diagnosis of the disease and encompasses end of life care. At SVICCAR, we have been working with the National Health Mission for awareness and screening for early detection of cancer. Through our palliative care team, we try to improve the quality of life of terminal cancer patients. Our committed and trained team at SVICCAR looks forward to provide quality cancer care to people of the region."

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Dr. Ramanan, Medical Director, SVICCAR, said, "I am confident that the versatile team at SVICCAR will provide the necessary competent care for cancer patients of the region with compassion."

Later, CM Reddy also laid the foundation for Sri Padmavathi Children's Super Speciality Hospital to be built by TTD on a six-acre site at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore in the temple city, the official said.

Before leaving Tirupati, Reddy inaugurated a 7-km long flyover constructed at a cost of Rs 685 crore and of which TTD has volunteered about Rs 458 crore in the making of the flyover route, the official said.

Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayanaswamy, TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, Ministers P. Ramachandra Reddy, Botcha Satyanarayana, R.K. Roja, Vidadala Rajini, Tirupati MP M. Gurumoorthy and MLAs B. Karunakar Reddy, Ch. Bhaskar Reddy, Collector K. Venkatramana Reddy and others were present during the inauguration.

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