Tata Opens New Cancer Hospital To Cater To Northeast India

With nearly 67 per cent growth in cancer cases in Northeast India. Government of India should be pushing in more private and public hospitals with cancer specialties.

Kolkata, May 17 : Diversified business house Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata today inaugurated a cancer hospital , set up at a cost of Rs 350 crore, to treat cancer patients from the east and Northeast of India, besides Bangladesh.

"The Tata Medical Center, a state-of-the-art facility for the care, treatment and rehabilitation of those suffering from cancer, was inaugurated by Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Sons, here today," the Mumbai-based group said in a statement.

The healthcare Center is modelled on the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), the renowned cancer-care institution in Mumbai, it added.

"Set up at a cost of Rs 350 crore, the center at Kolkata is a not-for-profit initiative that is aimed specifically at helping cancer patients from the east and northeast of India and also from Bangladesh," the statement further said.

The Rs 350-crore fund and an additional Rs 40 crore corpus deposit have been provided by the Tata trusts, various Tata companies and Tata Sons. These donations were directed to the Tata Medical Center Trust, which executed the project.

The premier institute has decided to earmark about 50 per cent of its beds for the free treatment of those who cannot afford it.

"The remaining 50 per cent of patients will be in the subsidised or paying categories and the money that accrues will be utilised to support the institution. The rest of the center's expenses will be covered by charitable donations," the Tata group said.

The first phase of the project has 170 patients beds, with a provision for extending the capacity to a further 150 patients, excluding the outpatients. A special emphasis will be given to children suffering from cancer at this Center.