ICICI Bank, along with Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), announced the commencement of construction of a new cancer care building at TMC’s Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. Funded through the Bank’s CSR contribution of Rs 625 crore, the facility will be among India’s largest radiation therapy centres, equipped with cutting-edge cancer treatment technologies.
This is part of the Bank’s larger commitment of Rs 1,800 crore to TMC for setting up of three state-of-the-art cancer care buildings, one each at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) in Punjab and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
The groundbreaking ceremony and unveiling of the foundation stone for the building, named ‘ICICI Foundation Block for Radiation Oncology’, were conducted. The ceremonies were graced by Pradeep Kumar Sinha, Chairman, ICICI Bank; Sandeep Batra, Executive Director, ICICI Bank; Ajay Gupta, Executive Director, ICICI Bank and Dr Sudeep Gupta, Director, TMC.
Strengthening radiation oncology infrastructure
The 11-storey building with a ground floor and two basements will span across 3.4 lakh square feet. It will house 12 state-of-the-art Linear Accelerators (LINACs) and other advanced cancer care equipment. LINACs deliver precise radiation to cancer cells, thereby minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
The ‘ICICI Foundation Block for Radiation Oncology’ will serve 7,200 patients with radiation therapies annually, offering over two lakh radiation sessions to these patients. In addition, the block will provide OPD consultations and diagnostics to 25,000 new patients a year. It is expected to be completed by 2027. ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth, the CSR arm of ICICI Bank, will oversee its implementation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sinha said, “ICICI Bank, through its CSR arm, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth, continues to work in four thematic areas: healthcare, environmental conservation, sustainable livelihood, and community development projects. We are pleased to partner with TMC in a mission towards cancer care that aligns with our philosophy of strengthening critical healthcare infrastructure in the country. Once completed, the ‘ICICI Foundation Block for Radiation Oncology’ will be one of India’s largest centres for radiation therapy. This will significantly augment the availability of advanced radiation therapy to larger sections of society.”
Batra stated, “At ICICI Bank, we are committed to supporting healthcare infrastructure in areas of cancer care in the country. Our commitment of Rs 1,800 crore to the Tata Memorial Centre for setting up three new cancer care hospitals in Visakhapatnam, Navi Mumbai, and Mullanpur underscores this commitment. The construction of the new block at Visakhapatnam started four months ago. The new building in Navi Mumbai will be equipped with state-of-the-art healthcare facilities and will increase the current capacity for radiation treatment at this centre sixfold, alongside providing consultations and diagnostics. We are honoured to continue working with TMC to enhance cancer care treatment in the country and make it more accessible to the patients.”
Availability of advanced radiation therapy
Dr Gupta expressed sincere gratitude to the ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth for their generous support in establishing three new blocks at Navi Mumbai, New Chandigarh, and Visakhapatnam. He said, “These facilities will provide state-of-the-art, evidence-based cancer therapy to underserved patients and significantly enhance our capacity for years to come. Notably, the blocks will establish centres of excellence in childhood and adult blood cancers and house one of India’s largest radiation oncology facilities. This contribution strengthens our commitment to delivering advanced, compassionate care to the most needy cancer patients nationwide.”
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director, ACTREC, said, “This facility will allow the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, a unit of Tata Memorial Centre, the ability to offer state-of-the-art treatment at an affordable price. This will also be utilised for education and training of medical, technical and paramedical staff who are urgently needed in the country to handle the rising burden of cancer. Needless to say, this will be a major boost to the clinical and translational research capacity of the institution.”
Dr C.S. Pramesh, Director, Tata Memorial Hospital, stated, “We are grateful to the ICICI Foundation and ICICI Bank for their generous support in establishing the new cancer facility at ACTREC, including state-of-the-art radiation treatment infrastructure. While we deeply appreciate the financial assistance, it goes far beyond that; they have been deeply engaged and hands-on throughout the process. Their partnership strengthens our shared commitment to providing equitable, high-quality cancer care and advancing cutting-edge research that benefits patients across the country.”
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The ICICI Foundation Block for Radiation Oncology will include:
A range of advanced radiation equipment for precision therapy.
Radiology facilities like MRI, CT scanners, and CT simulators for outdoor and indoor patients.
Dedicated research and training facilities for medical professionals.
Original source: in