The Maharashtra state cabinet on Tuesday approved a comprehensive policy for cancer treatment, aiming to expand access and strengthen care across the state. The initiative is expected to significantly increase the number of day-care centers for cancer treatment and improve coordination among hospitals.
Tata Memorial Hospital Designated Apex Institute
Under the new policy, Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel will serve as the apex L1 institute, while 17 other hospitals will be classified into L2 and L3 tiers. The policy also includes the creation of a Maharashtra Cancer Care, Research and Education Foundation (Mahacare) with a corpus of ₹100 crore to oversee implementation, provide funding, and support manpower across cancer hospitals.
Tiered Hospital Structure Across the State
The L2 tier will include eight hospitals: government medical colleges and hospitals in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Mumbai (JJ Hospital), Kolhapur, Pune, and public health referral hospitals in Nashik and Amravati.
The L3 tier will comprise nine hospitals: government medical colleges and hospitals in Ambajogai (Beed), Nanded, Yavatmal, Mumbai (Cama and Albless Hospital), Satara, Baramati, Jalgaon, Ratnagiri, and Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust Hospital in Shirdi.
Central Coordination and Funding
The Medical Education Department will establish a central command-and-control centre to coordinate operations among these hospitals. According to ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), cancer cases in Maharashtra are projected to rise by 11% in 2025 compared to 2020.
The state will allocate ₹1,529.38 crore for L2 centers and ₹147.70 crore for L3 centers. L2 hospitals will be managed and staffed by the medical education and public health departments, with relaxed approval processes for high-level committees. L3 hospitals will primarily use a public-private partnership (PPP) model for equipment, manpower, and management, except for Shirdi Sansthan Hospital, funded by the trust.
Maharashtra Cancer Care, Research and Education Foundation (Mahacare)
Mahacare will design locally relevant and cost-effective cancer programs, promote research, and run lifestyle-based awareness campaigns. It will also facilitate exchange of medical information across hospitals in the state and country.
As reported by Hindustan times, the foundation will have 18 members, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as chairperson, deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar as vice-chairpersons, representatives from Tata Memorial Hospital, nominated experts, administrative officers, and private sector professionals. An executive board will handle daily operations, while NGOs will manage palliative care for untreatable cases.
Funding and Revenue Sources
Mahacare will receive an initial ₹100 crore share capital and 20% of fees collected under the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana. Additional funding will come from clinical trials, international collaborations, donations, grants, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.