Bhubaneswar, Sept 9: Cancer care services in Odisha are set to receive a major boost with the state government preparing to launch dedicated Cancer Care Vans aimed at taking screening and treatment-related services closer to patients across the state.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is expected to inaugurate the initiative soon. Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the government’s objective is to transform Odisha into a model state in the field of cancer care by ensuring that treatment is not limited to major cities.
As part of the initiative, a day-care system will be introduced in 32 district hospitals. The move is expected to significantly reduce the need for cancer patients to travel repeatedly to distant districts or Cuttack for treatment.
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Under the proposed system, patients diagnosed with cancer will receive their first chemotherapy session at Acharya Harihar Cancer Centre. Subsequent chemotherapy sessions, if required, can then be administered at the patient’s district hospital based on the treating doctor’s advice.
The decentralised treatment model is expected to reduce the financial and logistical burden on patients and their families, particularly those from rural and remote areas who currently have to make frequent long-distance journeys for cancer treatment.
The Health Minister also said arrangements have been made to provide free treatment at Acharya Harihar Cancer Centre to patients diagnosed with cancer.
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The government hopes that the new system, along with the Cancer Care Vans, will improve early detection and make cancer treatment more accessible to people in rural areas. The initiative is being positioned as a significant step towards bringing comprehensive cancer care closer to patients’ homes across Odisha.
