Fund Crunch Affects Services at Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Vizag
Visakhapatnam: Fifty-year-old M Revathi walked in with her Aarogyasri card, hoping to receive cancer care at the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre here the other day.
Like many others, she returned home disappointed, unable to access the state-of-the-art facilities there. In the past ten days, numerous cancer patients have encountered significant challenges there as the cancer centre has stopped its services to holders of the Aarogyasri card.
An employee of the centre said the hospital continues to provide treatment exclusively to existing Aarogyasri cardholders but is not accepting new registrations. The state government owes it about ` 25crore in unpaid bills. “This significantly affects HBCHRC's capacity to deliver cancer care and admit new patients,” it was explained.
The cancer centre has communicated with the CEO of the Dr Nandamuri Tarka Rama Vaidya Seva Trust. It is now awaiting a response from the CEO.
Cancer patient M Revathi told Deccan Chronicle that the hospital has state-of-the-art facilities and 200 patient beds. The centre offers a comprehensive range of diagnostic services in pathology, radiology (such as CT, MRI, and mammography) as also nuclear medicine (including PET-CT and SPECT-CT) and has a fully equipped blood bank.
The treatment options there encompass the surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and preventive and palliative care services, including home care and rehabilitation. Revathi said she could not access similar facilities in a private setting because costs are prohibitive in such faciolities.
Situated in Visakhapatnam, HBCHRC, established in 2014, is a subsidiary of the Atomic Energy Commission and operates under the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai. Its mission is to provide multidisciplinary, evidence-based, and affordable cancer care to underserved populations, making it a cornerstone of oncology care in the region.
However, the centre is facing a shortage of cancer care drugs. Officials from the HBCHRC drug delivery department cited a lack of funds as the reason.
HBCHRC offers comprehensive care across various specialities, including Medical Oncology, Pediatric Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Critical Care and Anesthesiology, Radiodiagnosis, Pathology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Psycho-Oncology, Haemato-Oncology, and Preventive Oncology.
Additionally, the institution provides vital support services such as medical social work, rehabilitation (occupational and physiotherapy), nutrition, speech therapy, and comprehensive palliative care.
As a hub for education and training, HBCHRC coordinates Preventive Oncology, Basic Oncology services and Palliative Care throughout Andhra Pradesh. Since 2022, it has also served as the secretariat for the National Cancer Grid's Andhra Pradesh Chapter, spearheading initiatives like virtual tumour boards and providing equipment and technical support for procuring cancer drugs.
The current crisis highlights the urgent need to resolve the financial issues between the state government and HBCHRC to ensure that cancer patients continue to receive the care they need.
