NEW DELHI / AGARTALA, Dec 14 (TIWN): Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda while conducting bhoomi pujan at the AIIMS National Cancer Institute, Haryana said that the Cancer Institute will be modeled after the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of USA and the Government of India has already entered into a MoU with NCI USA during the visit of Prime Minister to USA in October 2014. He further said that the Institute will be the premier Institution for all activities related to cancer in the country and will have the linkages with all Regional Cancer Centres and other cancer centres/Institutions within the country.

 To increase the tertiary care facilities in Cancer, the Government is implementing a scheme to support the establishment of 20 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 50 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCCs) in different parts of the country, the Minister said. These will mentor all cancer related activities in their respective areas. The National Cancer Centre will act as an apex body for the network of the SCIs and TCCCs and shall develop and mentor Cancer related activities.

Shri Nadda further stated that in order to provide relief to poor people from the rising cost of cancer drugs, AMRIT scheme (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) has been recently launched, with the first outlet operational in AIIMS-New Delhi. Medicines for treatment of cancer are being made available at discounts in the range of 9% to 90%. We are soon going to start AMRIT in all central government hospitals", Shri Nadda informed.

Highlighting the many benefits of the NCI, Shri B P Sharma, Secretary (HFW) stated that it shall undertake the much-needed research in different types of cancer, and people from the nearby states can benefit immensely through this Institute. This also reflects the commitment of the Government to addressing the growing concerns of Non-Communicable Diseases, he said.