Aurangabad: City hospital upgraded to state Cancer Institute status

Aurangabad: The city's Government Cancer Hospital has been granted the honour of being called the State’s Cancer Institute.It has also been upgraded by being provided financial assistance to the tune of 120 crores (60% of the total cost) during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17).This was revealed in a press statement released this Saturday.

The first phase payment of forty percent, amounting to Rs 48 crore has already been released. The Government Cancer Hospital is the first health facility to have got a project of such elevated status. The Rs 120 crore is meant to help strengthen the tertiary care cancer facilities at the hospital.

The elevation from a cancer hospital to a cancer institute is meant to drive it towards mentoring and coordinating the activities of other institutes in the state, dealing with tertiary care for cancer. The State Cancer Institute is also meant to provide outreach services, diagnosis and referral treatments, develop treatment protocols, undertake research, and enhance the capacity of personnel in the State in the field of cancer.

According to the Officer on Special Duty of the Cancer Hospital, Arvind Gaikwad, the institute is also to be be equipped with the latest and the most advanced techniques for patients suffering from cancer. The institute is also meant to facilitate the initiation of a post graduation in radiotherapy in the college.