Bhubaneswar: The Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital and the Odisha government jointly setting up a cancer hospital in the city.

The state government and the Tata Trust are floating a SPV to implement a Rs 1000 crore programme to provide better cancer treatment to the people of the state. The SPV will upgrade Acharya Harihar Cancer Research Centre and opening of cancer treatment facilities in district headquarter hospitals and the state run medical colleges besides the Tata Memoral Cancer Hospital.

The state government and Tata Trust will chip in 50% each in the SPV.

This was decided at a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary AP Padhi, here on Monday.

The chief secretary said, a Tata Memorial Hospital will be set up in Bhubaneswar. Some district headquarters hospitals (DHHs) and state government-run medical college and hospitals (MCHs) will be upgraded for better cancer treatment, he added.

A Tata Trust executive said the programme will be carried out in 3 phases over a period of 5 years.  In the first year, Rs 300 crore to put in place cancer treatment facilities in district levels.