Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recommending that the Union government accord the status of a ‘Centre of Excellence’ to the Cancer Institute, Adyar.
In a letter to Dr.Singh on Friday, she recalled that the Cancer Institute was founded in 1954 as a voluntary charitable institution under the inspiring and legendary leadership of Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy.
Ms.Jayalalithaa said the State government has been assisting the institute for over three decades by a maintenance grant. As a Referral Cancer Centre, it provides yeoman service to needy cancer patients from all over the country. The Union government has so far provided meagre support to this institute through the Tertiary Cancer Centre Scheme under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio-vascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) by way of a grant of Rs.4.80 crore for equipment purchased in the year 2011-12. The State government released a sum of Rs.1.20 crore as its share for this.
The Chief Minister requested that the proposal of the chairperson, Cancer Institute, for upgradation of the centre as a National Centre, pending with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, be approved to enable this reputed institution to expand and strengthen its capacity to treat cancer patients in larger number.
Ms.Jayalalithaa also recommended that the Institute run Cancer Hospital in the country be conferred with National status as “a Centre of Excellence”, particularly when it has been rated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the “Top Ranking Centre” in the Country.
