Cancer nodal centres at district hospitals soon

In what could be a major move that would enable identify and maintain a registry of cancer patients for treatment, the Karnataka Health Commission (KHC) will enter into a public-private-partnership (PPP) with the Health Care Global Hospital, to set up nodal cancer care centres at the district hospitals in the next two months.

Addressing reporters here on Thursday, N Prabhu Dev, KHC Chairperson, said “The commission has been recommending the Union Health Ministry to make cancer a notifiable disease, which will ensure every case is reported and treated. Maintaining a standard cancer registry and appropriate documents will give the actual magnitude, quality and steps to improve infrastructure for cancer treatment.”

According to the proposed PPP project, a government doctor will be trained by Health Care Global in diagnosing and collecting samples.

A nodal centre will be set up at the district hospitals where the designated doctor will screen patients for cancer and maintain a cancer registry. Specialists from the Health Care Global will visit these centres on a monthly basis.

Infrastructure will be provided by the Karnataka Health Commission. Both the parties will also work together with pharma companies to ensure generic drugs are available at subsidised prices to patients.

Prabhu Dev said that a blue print of the proposal will be ready by April and it will be placed before the government for approval.