KORBA: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is investing Rs. 300 crore to establish a world class Vedanta Cancer Hospital and Research Center in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. This is perhaps the biggest investment by private industrial establishments in health services of Chhattisgarh state. Needless to say that the investment is being done in Chhattisgarh but its positive impact will be nationwide.
Importance of cancer awareness and testing camps
So far BALCO has been organizing cancer awareness and testing camps at Korba, Rajnandgaon, Durg, Kawardha, Surguja etc with the help of state of the art cancer detection vehicles. In addition to cancer detection facilities the vehicles are equipped with malaria and Sickle Cell anemia testing facilities. From January 2009 to April, 2011 total 59 camps were organized. 218 730 people from 741 villages were covered under investigation. Nearly 5201 people registered for the test. Surveyors of Vedanta Medical Research Foundation found signs of cancer in the 773 villagers. After investigation 245 people were declared as cancer patients out of them 126 were referred to Balco hospital and regional cancer hospital, Raipur. 45 were treated free of cost at Balco Hospital successfully.
Feelings of beneficiaries about cancer detection Camps
The great success of Balco’s cancer test and awareness camps is that the people are confidence to fight against cancer. Mr. Sharad Joshi, President, Rural Cooperative Bank, Durg, Khandsra says ” There is no particular initiative in the state yet to cure the cancer. There is also less awareness in rural areas and treatment of cancer is very expensive. Thanks term is very small for Balco who has pioneered the public awareness campaign on cancer treatment.. Balco should move forward in this direction.”
”Balco has proved the event very beneficial. Balco’s team has a good way to test people. Balco’s efforts against cancer are outstanding”, added Mr. Vijender Bakshi, Pandadah Rajnandgaon.
” Mobile cancer screening and treatment camp of Balco was free of cost. Many citizens of the surrounding rural areas benefited”, says Mrs. Pramila Sen, Mitanin, Pandadah. Pramila applauses Balco for the event.
Balco’s cancer camps identified a number of patients who were having a serious illness but before trial they all were unaware. Mr Bhim Singh from Chotia,  Korba had come to Balco’s camp with the problem of wound in the mouth. After finding signs of cancer, doctors of Balco hospital called him for operation. After a successful surgery affected parts of his mouth have been removed and now Bhim is completely healthy. ”Now I’m all right ”, says Bhim. He does not forget to express his gratitude to BALCO.
Bird’s eye view on Vedanta Cancer Hospital and Research Centre
- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh and Vedanta Group chairman Mr. Anil Agarwal, laid the foundations of the center in Raipur on 8 August 2007.
- Project is being implemented jointly by Chhattisgarh government and Vedanta Medical Research Foundation under Public Private Partnership model.
- Rs 300 crores will be invested in the Hub & Spoke model project.
- Vedanta Cancer Hospital and Research Centre will be in two phases. Project will establish 100-bed hospital in the first phase.
- Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation will available at the world class centre. Cyclotron and Tomotherapy will also be there.
- Hospital and Research Centre will be expanded to 360 beds in the next phase.
- There will be research facilities for students in the field of Oncology. There are plans to develop the centre for cardiology and neuroscience.
- Secondary health centre will be developed at Korba, Jagdalpur and Kawardha. These centres will be equipped with mammography, biopsy facilities. Highly trained and experienced therapists will serve at the centre.
- Vedanta Cancer Hospital and Research Centre will serve as tertiary level facility where all referred cases from secondary level hospital and other hospitals across the country will be treated.
