By: IPP Bureau
Last updated : February 18, 2025 11:15 am
Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the 2nd AIIMS Oncology Conclave 2025 at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of AIIMS, Jhajjar campus.
Addressing the gathering, Nadda showed his elation over the growth and progress of the NCI since its inauguration in 2019, said, “The institute has matured into a world-class healthcare provider in a short span of 6 year and over time, it has evolved into a referral centre offering multidisciplinary care and providing better and patient-centric care.”
He appreciated the dedication of doctors, health workers and administration of the institute to make the progress happen.
Nadda also went for a special visit to the newly built Nuclear Medicine Targeted Treatment Ward and the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit at the NCI aimed at improving patient outcomes through state-of-the-art treatment options specifically for thyroid cancers and hematolymphoid cancers, respectively.
He also visited and appreciated the Vishram Sadan at the NCI, developed by the Infosys Foundation, provides essential accommodation for patients' attendants in a cost-effective way, enhancing support for families during challenging times. It also provides psychological and educational support to the needy, setting a benchmark for others.
Appreciating the innovation at the Institute, Nadda stated that “The Institute is collaborating with startups, engaging PhD students and involving scientists from AIIMS in research that will have real-world applications, not just for the market, but for society as a whole.
Highlighting the Government of India’s efforts Nadda said, “To prevent and control cancer, improve overall cancer care outcomes and ensure that every citizen, regardless of their location, has access to the care they need, the Government has been working on provision of Cancer care at primary health care level in the form of prevention and screening, and at the tertiary and secondary level in the form of diagnostics and treatment and palliative care.”
He underlined that “the Government has introduced screening for individuals aged 30 years and above under NHM at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and over 26 crore people have been screened for oral cancer, 14 crore for breast cancer, and 9 crore for cervical cancer at Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs.”
"To enhance the facilities for tertiary level care of cancer, over the last few years over Rs. 3,000 crores have been approved for the period 2014-15 to 2025-26 for 19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Cancer Care Centres (TCCCs). Moreover, Cancer treatment facilities have been approved in all 22 new AIIMS with diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities,” added Nadda.
Nadda further added that we have plans to establish Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) in all district hospitals over the next three years with 200 this year itself and this initiative aims to bring essential cancer services closer to home, particularly for those in underserved rural areas.
Dr. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi; Dr. Alok Thakar, Head, National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar; Dr. K. K. Verma, Dean (Academics), AIIMS; Dr. Nikhil Tandon, Dean (Research), AIIMS; faculty Members of NCI; medical professionals; researchers; and healthcare policymakers of all AIIMS from across the country, PGI, Chandigarh and JIPMER, Puducherry, scientists, entrepreneurs, innovators were also present at the occasion.