Maha to develop international-standard cancer care and research facilities

Mumbai: To ensure equitable cancer care across Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed Maharashtra Cancer Care, Research and Education Foundation (MahaCare) to develop international-standard cancer treatment and research facilities. 

Chairing the first meeting of the board of directors of MahaCare at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai, Fadnavis said the state should build a world-class cancer care ecosystem covering diagnosis, treatment and research. 

Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, Minister of State for Medical Education Madhuri Misal and senior officials attended the meeting.

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According to an official release, the CM approved the establishment of a subsidiary, Nagpur High Energy Medical Cyclotron Project, under MahaCare to strengthen cancer treatment infrastructure, reports PTI. 

The board also granted in-principle approval to provide a corpus fund of Rs 100 crore to MahaCare from Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana.

It approved raising and accepting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, providing office space for the foundation at GT Hospital in Mumbai, and appointing auditors, a company secretary and consultants, the release added.

"MahaCare would play a key role in ensuring every citizen in Maharashtra has access to quality cancer diagnosis and treatment through a network of state-run Level-2 and Level-3 cancer hospitals supported by modern technology," the CM said while directing the organisation to recruit highly skilled manpower.

Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif instructed officials to complete the required process for obtaining prior approval from the Department of Atomic Energy for the cyclotron project.

According to the PTI report, the meeting also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between MahaCare and Tata Memorial Hospital for technical collaboration in cancer treatment and research. Under the proposed MahaCare network, Tata Memorial Hospital will function as the apex centre for cancer research and treatment.

The state plans to establish comprehensive district-level cancer centres in Mumbai, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, Nanded, Kolhapur, Chandrapur, Nashik and Amravati.

Diagnostic and day-care centres have been proposed at Cama and Albless Hospital in Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Satara, Baramati, Jalgaon, Yavatmal, Ambajogai, Thane and Shirdi. 

The government said the network would be implemented across Maharashtra through the MahaArogya project with the aim of decentralising and strengthening cancer care services.

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