DIBRUGARH, April 28 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the government is committed to strengthen the health infrastructure to provide the best and the cheapest treatment to the ailing people, particularly those suffering from cancer.
Addressing a rally at Dibrugarh in Assam after inaugurating seven cancer care centres and laying the foundation stone for seven others across the state, Modi said that he does not want anyone to fall ill but if they do, “we have built hospitals for them to get the best treatment without any financial burden”.
During the last five to six years, former chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, his successor Himanta Biswa Sarma and Tata Trusts chairman Ratan Tata have taken the initiative to set up the Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF) to provide economic and effective treatment to cancer patients, Modi said.
The ACCF is a joint venture of the state government and Tata Trusts.
“This is a great service to humanity and I thank them for taking this initiative,” he added.
The PM said that the Centre has also focused on cancer treatment in the Rs 1,500 crore special package earmarked for the North East in this year’s Union budget as this disease weakens the financial condition of cancer patients’ families and many people are forced to take loans.
Earlier in the day, Modi inaugurated the Dibrugarh Cancer Centre at Assam Medical College and Hospital. He also inaugurated six other similar facilities in Barpeta, Tezpur, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Kokrajhar and Darrang.
Modi laid foundation stones of seven cancer hospitals at Dhubri, Goalpara, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Nalbari, Nagaon and Tinsukia.
