More peripheral cancer centres to open soon in Karnataka to ease burden on Kidwai hospital

The government plans to open peripheral cancer centres (PCCs) in more districts and at all government medical college hospitals, to ease the burden on the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO).

In a written reply to a question in the Assembly, during the ongoing legislature session, Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil said the construction of such a centre in Kalaburagi was completed and it would be upgraded from a 100-bed facility to a 240-bed facliliy. In Mysuru and Tumakuru, construction of the PCC has been completed and the department has called for tenders to purchase the required equipment. Similar PCCs are expected to come up in Shivamogga, Bidar, Raichur and Belagavi.

In May 2025, CM Siddaramaiah had inaugurated a chemotherapy day care centre at the district hospital in Mysuru. Post that, the government had decided to open daycare centres at all district hospitals. The need for new PCCs has increased owing to the large number of patients visiting KMIO for treatment.

According to data, at least 22,600 cancer patients visit the facility annually for cancer treatment. That apart, at least another 3.97 lakh patients visit the facility for follow-up treatments. As a result, the hospital is always crowded.

A number of measures have been put in place to ease the situation, Patil said. Pharmacy and laboratory services are open 24 hours to ensure patients are not inconvenienced and radiation therapy is done in three shifts. The capacity at the daycare facility is being increased from 40 beds to 60 beds and 450 new beds are being added to the existing capacity of 874 beds.