The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation seven cancer hospitals in Assam at a function in Dibrugarh on 28 April. These cancer Hospitals are built at Dibrugarh, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Darrang, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, and Jorhat.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of seven new cancer hospitals at Dhubri, Nalbari, Goalpara, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Golaghat to be constructed under phase 2 of the project. Governor of Assam Shri Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister of Assam Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Shri Rameswar Teli, Former CJI and Rajya Sabha member, Shri Ranjan Gogoi and noted industrialist Shri Ratan Tata were among those present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister started by acknowledging the festive spirit of the season and paid homage to the great sons and daughters of Assam. The Prime Minister said that Cancer hospitals in Assam that were dedicated to nation today and the ones for which foundation stone was laid today, will augment healthcare capacities in Northeast as well as South Asia. Acknowledging that cancer has been a big problem not only in Assam but also in the North East, the Prime Minister said “our poorest, middle class families are the most affected by this”. For the treatment of cancer, till a few years ago, the patients here had to go to big cities which led to financial burden on poor and middle-class families. The Prime Minister complimented the Assam Chief Minister Shri Sarma and Union Minister Shri Sonowal and Tata Trust for taking many steps to address this long pending problem.

Government’s Vision For The Healthcare Sector

Elaborating on the government’s vision for the healthcare sector,