Assam government on Saturday inked a pact with the Tata group for implementing a comprehensive cancer care project in the State.
The group will sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the ongoing ‘Advantage Assam’ summit with the State government here.
The cancer care project will be implemented in 17 district hospitals across the State.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the project would be rolled out with a cost of Rs 2000 crore where Tata group will invest a total of Rs 802 crore.
Sarma said Assam government will finance 700 crore besides providing land for construction of the cancer care units.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal dubbed the signing of MoU as historic for the health care sector in Assam.
“It’s a historic step for the health sector in Assam,” said Sonowal.
Earlier speaking at the inaugural function of the Global Investors’ Summit Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the Tata Group will join hands with Assam government to roll out an elaborate cancer care programme across 15 districts of the State from next year.
“Tata group has a long-standing relation with Assam. Assam is very close to us. Our cancer care programme will be launched in the State in coming days,” Chandrasekaran said.
“The programme will work in hub-and-spoke model with all the medical colleges acting as the hubs, while the district hospitals will function as diagnosis and day-care centres,” an official of Tata group told reporters.
The official also said that a three-tiered model has been conceived with leading oncologists, which would offer different levels of cancer care ranging from complicated procedures to simple diagnostic tests.
This three-tier model will be supported by an extensive awareness, screening and early detection programme at the population level,” he added.