PM Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of 7 Cancer Hospitals In Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of seven new cancer hospitals at Dhubri, Nalbari, Goalpara, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Golaghat to be constructed.

Assam Cancer Care Foundation, a joint venture of Government of Assam and Tata Trusts, is executing a project to build South Asia’s largest affordable cancer care network with 17 Cancer care hospitals spread across the state.

Under the Phase 1 of the project, out of 10 hospitals,  the construction of  seven hospitals have been completed while three hospitals are at various level of construction. Phase 2 of the project will witness construction of seven new cancer hospitals.

Governor of Assam Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma, noted industrialist Ratan Tata were among those present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister said that Cancer hospitals in Assam that were dedicated to nation today and the ones for which foundation stone was laid today, will augment healthcare capacities in Northeast as well as South Asia. Acknowledging that cancer has been a big problem not only in Assam but also in the North East, the Prime Minister said “our poorest, middle class families are the most affected by this”.

Modi said that this year’s Budget’s has envisaged a 1500 crore rupees scheme Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East (PM-DeVINE). Under the scheme too, cancer treatment is a focus area and a facility is proposed for Guwahati also.

The Prime Minister explained that “before 2014, there were only 7 AIIMS in the country. Out of these, except one in Delhi, there was no MBBS course or OPD, some of them were incomplete even. We rectified all these and declared 16 new AIIMS in the country. AIIMS Guwahati is also one of them.

Prime Minister Modi emphasized “the effort is that the citizens of the whole country can get the benefits of the schemes of the central government, anywhere in the country, there should be no restriction for that. This is the spirit of One Nation, One Health. This spirit gave strength to the country even in the biggest epidemic of 100 years, gave strength to deal with the challenge.”