MOHALI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on inaugurated the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre and dedicated it to the nation in Punjab’s Mohali district, in an endeavour to provide world-class cancer care to the residents of Punjab and neighbouring states and Union Territories.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann felicitated Modi at the inauguration of the hospital that will function like a hub of cancer care and treatment in the region, with the 100-bed hospital in Sangrur as a spoke.
The cancer hospital is a tertiary care hospital of 300-bed capacity and is equipped with modern facilities to treat all types of cancers using surgery, radiotherapy and medical oncology, comprising chemotherapy, immunotherapy and bone marrow transplant.
In his speech on the occasion, Modi said his government’s thrust was on creating a healthcare system that would cater to the poorest of the poor. “The health sector has been our priority. The work our government has done for the health sector in the past eight years was not done in 70 years,” he said.
Describing the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre as a “supreme gift” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said it would help the state, especially the Malwa region, in combating this disease effectively.
“Punjabis are even afraid of uttering the word ‘cancer’ as its treatment is very costly. This centre will go a long way in ensuring accessible and affordable cancer treatment to the region,” said the Chief Minister.
Addressing the gathering during the inauguration function, Mann said it was a historic initiative, which would help the state in its crusade against cancer. He said though the state had played a key role in making the country self-reliant in food production, due to the excessive use of pesticides and insecticides, Punjabis were falling prey to cancer. The CM said this hospital would not only provide treatment to cancer patients, but also help in ensuring its prevention through extensive research.
The CM expressed satisfaction that the 100-bed Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital at Sangrur had been imparting quality cancer treatment to people. He said around 37,000 patients had been successfully treated so far at the hospital.
Mann said the newly set up centre at New Chandigarh would be a milestone in providing quality cancer treatment not only to patients from Punjab but also to neighbouring states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan.
Mann said the state government, too, has so far given Rs 888 crore to nearly 69,000 cancer patients under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The CM solicited the support and cooperation from the Union Government for effective checking of cross-border smuggling of drugs and arms through drones. He said Punjab was fighting the nation’s war so the Union Government should extend all-out support to Punjab for this cause.
