Andhra Pradesh roadmap for comprehensive cancer care

Visakhapatnam: The state has prepared a roadmap for comprehensive cancer care, in the name of ‘Andhra Pradesh Comprehensive Cancer Care’ (APCCC) project.

The state health department entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai for implementation of various components of this roadmap in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Three centres of excellence in cancer care will be developed in Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam in a hub-and-spoke model. Andhra Pradesh is currently spending about Rs 400 crore on cancer care every year.

Principal secretary, health department, MT Krishna Babu said that Andhra Pradesh has designed the APCCC based on a three-pronged approach – prevention, treatment, and pain and palliative care. “The care will be delivered in a five-tier distribution model. The state will develop cancer care centres at 44 health facilities, including the 11 existing and 16 new medical colleges, four district hospitals and 13 area hospitals. These have been strategically chosen to be 50 km apart from each other and cover the whole state,” said Krishna Babu.