Andhra Pradesh Government to develop Tirupati as a Cancer Care hub

Balaji Institute of Oncology (BIO) to come up as state-of-the-art Cancer Centre which will provide high end solutions in the field of genomics, personalized care and targeted therapies

AP government and Roche Pharma join hands to strengthen capacity and capability of over 200 government healthcare professionals in cancer care

To boost accessibility and availability of advanced treatment methods for cancer patients, the Andhra Pradesh government is set to develop Tirupati as a major hub for Cancer treatment. A major step in this regard will be the setting up of Balaji Institute of Oncology (BIO), a state-of-the-art Cancer Centre that will provide high-end solutions in the field of genomics, personalized care and targeted therapies. BIO is envisaged to provide a wide range of services from preventive, surgical, medical, and radiation oncology. BIO will be connected to a string of cancer treatment facilities spread out across the state to ensure comprehensive and advanced treatment options are available closer to patients.

Additionally, keeping in view the importance of palliative care in cancer management, at Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) is also going to start a foundation course in palliative care in partnership with Pallium India next month, and establish a palliative care center with 30 beds in the beginning.

“Owing to the growing number of cancer patients in India, there is a need for a cancer care ecosystem within individual states. With this initiative, we aim to create a patient-centric cancer institute that will provide standardized and affordable treatment to the patients in their hometown, close to their near and dear ones. The initiative will also reduce the additional burden that comes with traveling to a metro city for treatment facilities,” said Vidadala Rajini, Minister of Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Workshop to strengthen capacity and capability of Government doctors in breast cancer management:

The AP government and Roche Pharma jointly organized a large-scale workshop on breast cancer continuum of care in Tirupati on Saturday, 12 November 2022 to facilitate capacity building, spread awareness and strengthen the cancer care ecosystem in the state. Nearly 200 healthcare professionals attended the workshop to deliberate upon creating awareness about personalized and targeted treatment options in management of breast cancer. Roche Pharma will join AP government to provide support to strengthen cancer care ecosystem in the state with advanced treatment solutions, enhanced capacity building and training programs for doctors. The workshop aims to bridge the current gaps in cancer treatment and management in the city.

Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu, Chief Advisor to CM, Andhra Pradesh made a video address to the gathering at the workshop. Senior officials of AP government including Shri GS Naveen Kumar, Secretary - Health Medical & Family Welfare Department and Dr. Vinod Kumar V, Director of Medical Education attended the event. Other luminaries from the industry and academia like Dr. B Vengamma, Director cum VC, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Shri MN Harendhira Prasad, CEO, Dr. YSR Aarogyasri Healthcare Trust and Dr. GVS Murthy, Director, IIPH, Hyderabad also attended.

Commenting on this initiative, Roche Pharma Managing Director & CEO V. Simpson Emmanuel said, “At Roche, we believe that everyone deserves access to timely and effective treatment. Through the initiatives taken in collaboration with the government, Roche strives to improve the lives of patients while reducing the cost of healthcare. With efforts like this, AP can strengthen its cancer care ecosystem and offer quality and timely treatment to its citizens.”

The AP government has also enhanced its comprehensive cancer care scheme Arogyasri to provide free treatment for all types of cancers. So far, the government has spent Rs 400 crore on cancer, 25% of the total expenditure. The journey of AP towards comprehensive cancer care started with the inauguration of a cancer center at Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) by former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Late Dr. Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy garu in 2008. It is further augmented by the establishment of an excellent, state-of-the-art cancer center with Balaji Institute of Oncology (BIO) in 2022 by honourable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy garu in Tirupati. 

Initiatives like these are in line with AP government’s continuous efforts to upgrade cancer care in the state, improve access and are expected to help increase survival rates among patients in the region.