Innovations in cancer care should reach people irrespective of geographical boundaries: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the innovations that happen in any corner of the world should reach each and every country to bolster the fight against a rising menace of cancer. Advocating the need of reducing the cost of cancer care worldwide, he welcomed brainstorming between the doctors and researchers and encouraged the use of Medtech, Biotech and Artificial Intelligence to formulate affordable and efficient detection/treatment protocols.

CM Fadnavis said this on Saturday after inaugurating a global conference “Oncology Beyond Borders”, now being hosted by the National Cancer Institute, Nagpur at its Jamtha campus. NCI President, Adv Sunil Manohar, General Secretary and CEO, Shailesh Joglekar, Treasurer, Anand Aurangabadkar, Medical Director, Dr Anand Pathak, and Global Operations and Strategy Director Shashi Mandapaty graced the occasion.

This international conference has brought together about 50 eminent oncologists, researchers, policymakers, and healthcare leaders from several countries to deliberate on collaborative approaches, innovations, and future directions in cancer care beyond geographical boundaries.

At the function, NCI exchanged a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Guyana for a long term partnership for research collaboration and affordable cancer care for all. NCI’s academic/research publication ‘Wings’ was released by the guests.

“The theme of the conference speaks for itself. When it comes to any disease or health challenge or any disorder, it doesn’t understand any boundary. It doesn’t recognise the status of a person and the geography where they stay. And, that is why today’s connected yet fractured world, it is our responsibility that we come together, share the ideas and think beyond. This conference is something where we will be thinking beyond,” said Fadnavis.

“All of you know that in the last decade the incidence of cancer is rising at inimaginable speed. Unfortunately, a country like India which has done well in eradicating certain diseases, infectious diseases, is now fighting cancer. And cancer as of now has become the biggest challenge before the healthcare system of India. This is not just happening in India but happening globally,” he added.

He further said that the United Nation’s latest statistics said that the incidence of cancer may increase by 75% in the next 15 to 20 years worldwide. “The situation looks very scary. If I look at my state of Maharashtra, the incidence of cancer has increased by more than 11%. That is very alarming. So, it is time, when we not just fight the disease but also try to prevent it,” he said.

According to him, for a huge population, it is very important that we have the ability and instruments to screen every suspected case to have SoPs where we generate a suspected case, but also ability to treat cancer early. “Because early treatment is the key. That is why I think an institute like NCI has been created. NCI is not only helping patients from central India, but now patients from different countries are also coming here. The Bone Marrow Transplants are being performed; new technologies are being brought here, experimented and extended to the patients. But we require many more,” the CM suggested.

Talking about his own government’s efforts to fight cancer in Maharashtra, he said the government has created Maha Cancer Care Foundation, which is a company of the government which is creating an entire cancer grid in hub and spoke model whereby every person of the state will have access to cancer care. “All of us know that one of the biggest challenges is affordability. It is seen that the marginalised sections of the society are the most affected. They often lose all their fortunes fighting the disease. It is one disease in which not just the patient but the entire family suffers. Affordability is something that we need to bring through our new treatment protocol,” Fadnavis said.

The CM said that the Government of India, under the able leadership of PM Narendra Modi has been constantly reducing taxes on imported cancer drugs, on radiation machines and machinery to bring down the cost of cancer care to make it affordable. “We are in an era of technology. Today Medtech, Biotech and AI are revolutionizing the field of healthcare. It is bringing predictability, affordability and efficiency in the healthcare scenario. In the space of cancer care we require more innovation, Medtech, Biotech and AI to detect cancers early so that we fight it at the very beginning,” he said.

Fadnavis said that with research conducted at NCI and other institutes like Tata Cancer Hospital, we will be able to find new solutions for making treatment affordable. "Start-ups are creating AI models whereby we can formulate initial protocols. All these innovations need to go beyond borders. World over whatever happens in the space of cancer care should reach each and every country because I think humanity knows no borders. And to be humane is to not let anyone suffer irrespective of borders. I think this conference will deliberate over the best practices happening around the world," he said.

Mentioning an MoU between the NCI and Guyana Government, he said such alliances are forged between two institutions to help patients get best healthcare. “This is the way forward to collaborate and fight cancer together,” he added.

Earlier, Adv Manohar articulated the idea of going beyond borders, not just geographically or physically but also conceptually. He said an MoU between NCI and Health Ministry of Guyana proved that the geographical borders were being widely extended. “We already have some contracts. There are more to come.” He said the NCI has set up a research wing that will take innovations beyond borders. He said an act of domain expert like Dr Anand Pathak who has been devoting most of his time at NCI at the cost of a huge sacrifice professionally was like going beyond borders. He specifically mentioned Fadnavis and Joglekar's life stories that ultimately led them to build a cancer care entity like NCI.

Karishma Tiwari conducted the function and proposed a vote of thanks.