Govt to develop Tirupati as cancer care hub

PNS|Tirupati

To boost the accessibility and availability of advanced treatment methods for cancer patients, the Andhra Pradesh government is all set to develop Tirupati as a major hub for cancer treatment. A major step in this regard will be the setting up of Balaji Institute of Oncology (BIO), a state-of-the-art Cancer Centre that will provide high-end solutions in the field of genomics, personalised care and targeted therapies. BIO is envisaged to provide a wide range of services from preventive, surgical, medical, and radiation oncology. BIO will be connected to a string of cancer treatment facilities spread out across the state to ensure comprehensive and advanced treatment options are available closer to patients.

Additionally, keeping in view the importance of palliative care in cancer management, at Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) is also going to start a foundation course in palliative care in partnership with Pallium India next month, and establish a palliative care centre with 30 beds in the beginning.

“Owing to the growing number of cancer patients in India, there is a need for a cancer care ecosystem within individual states. With this initiative, we aim to create a patient-centric cancer institute that will provide standardised and affordable treatment to the patients in their hometown, close to their near and dear ones. The initiative will also reduce the additional burden that comes with traveling to a metro city for treatment facilities,” said Vidadala Rajini, Minister of Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education.

The AP government and Roche Pharma jointly organised a large-scale workshop on breast cancer continuum of care in Tirupati to facilitate capacity building, spread awareness and strengthen the cancer care ecosystem in the State. Nearly 200 healthcare professionals attended the workshop to deliberate upon creating awareness about personalized and targeted treatment options in management of breast cancer.

Roche Pharma will join the AP government to provide support to strengthen the cancer care ecosystem in the State with advanced treatment solutions, enhanced capacity building and training programmes.