Tata Trusts partners with Telangana to upgrade cancer care

Hyderabad: The Telangana government and Tata Trusts signed an MoU to deliver high-quality affordable cancer care through a three-tier model and develop academic and research capabilities in the state.

According to a statement issued by Tata Trusts, the MoU was signed by A Santhi Kumari, Telangana Principal Secretary, Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department, and R Venkataramanan, Managing Trustee, Tata Trusts.

As part of the agreement, two apex super-speciality hospitals in the city the MNJ Institute of Technology and the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences will be upgraded to handle complex cancer cases on a referral basis.

Medical colleges in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar, and Warangal will be strengthened to offer diagnosis and treatment of cancer cases, the release said.

District hospitals in Karimnagar, Khammam, and Nalgonda will be developed to offer diagnostic and standardized day care chemotherapy, it said.

These measures will create a state-wide cancer care network to take treatment closest to patients by improving the existing public health system and infrastructure, the release added.

Telangana Minister for Information Technology K T Rama Rao, Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare C Laxma Reddy, and Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata were present on the occasion.

Ratan Tata, said, "We are privileged to partner with the Government of Telangana in upgrading cancer care capabilities in the public health network. Patients will no longer need to travel all the way to Hyderabad except for rare and complex conditions."

The initiative in Telangana is the latest in Tata Trusts' effort to partner with state governments and other entities to decentralize cancer care in India.

Similar initiatives are in different stages of implementation in Assam, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, the release said.