Narayana Hrudayalaya forays into cancer care

Narayana Hrudayalaya, a Bangalore-based heart hospital, today opened its 1,400-bed cancer care facility. The cancer treatment facility, named Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Centre, at the Narayana Health City campus, is a 500,000 square feet facility. The facility will focus on head and neck cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer.

Narayana Hrudayalaya had earlier divested a part of its stake to raise Rs 430 crore from JP Morgan and AIG. Part of that money has also gone into the cancer hospital. Having used the Wal-Mart model for treating heart ailments, Dr Devi Shetty, chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya has transplanted the model for the treatment of cancer too. For instance, he aims to use the equipment used for cancer care round the clock. This, he said, will ensure the optimum use of the equipment and bring down the cost of cancer treatment.

“At night, say around 12 mid-night, we should be able to provide treatment to the poor patients for free,” said Dr Shetty. “We aim to address the problem of extremely expensive treatment for cancer, by ensuring immediate, effective and affordable treatment to every patient,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has provided Rs 40 crore for the hospital. This money is expected to provide for some of the equipment, for instance. “I will provide money now and then as the need arises, in my personal capacity, for equipment,” said Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. “A research-based treatment protocol is required to strike a balance between making medical assistance available to those in need and developing an effective and hassle-free cancer treatment,” added Kiran Mazumdar.

Every cancer patient who visits the Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Centre for treatment is not subject to an individual's decision but that of a 'Tumour Board' which is a multi-disciplinary dedicated team for each region of the body, said a doctor working with the hospital.