Guwahati: Assam Health, Finance, Education Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that all under-construction Cancer hospitals in the state will be fully functional by September 2021.
The Minister presented the Vote-on-Account Budget for the year 2021-2022 for a few months on the floor of the Assam Assembly on the second day of the three-day State Assembly session.
While presenting the Budget Dr. Sarma announced that all the Cancer Hospital in the state will
be fully functional by September 2021.
“I am happy to announce that the implementation of the Assam Cancer Care Program has progressed significantly. Our vision of making available the best cancer care treatment in Assam is on the verge of being realized. The Cancer Care Centres at Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Diphu, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Mangaldoi and Kokrajhar are scheduled to be fully functional by September 2021. We can any day invite the Prime Minister to inaugurate all the hospitals in a day itself,” stated the Health Minister.
Dr. Sarma also added, “The 1st phase of up-gradation of the State Cancer Institute at Guwahati is scheduled to be completed within this Financial Year itself. Apart from the construction work and installation of state of the art equipment for diagnosis and treatment, a comprehensive Human Resources action plan is being implemented in the form of training and hiring of doctors and nurses so that these centers are fully functional immediately after the construction activities are completed. The preparatory works for the Cancer Care Centers at other locations have also been carried out. It will be of great satisfaction when cancer patients and their family members no longer have to travel outside the State at a great emotional and financial cost and can get the best treatment in their home State itself”.
The Health Minister stated that he is not aware of any other state government which has undertaken this level of comprehensive cancer care program.
“As I stated, once functional, these cancer hospitals at different tiers will benefit lakh of our cancer patients not only from Assam but also from the entire Northeast. Given the mammoth size of the program, we would like to invite Hon’ble prime minister to inaugurate all these facilities at once from one platform”, said Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The vote on account from April-July 2021 comes ahead of the State Assembly polls in the state. The three-day Assembly session will continue till February 13.
