Ranchi: The health department has begun preparations to expand cancer care facilities across Jharkhand by setting up cancer daycare and radiation centres at six locations, including all five medical colleges. The centres are likely to be operated under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.The initiative is aimed at reducing the need for cancer patients to travel to distant cities for chemotherapy and radiation treatment.Additional chief secretary (health), Ajoy Kumar Singh, held a meeting with senior officials on Friday to assess the availability of equipment, infrastructure, manpower and funds at medical colleges and district hospitals.Singh reviewed arrangements for providing chemotherapy at the district level and directed officials to assess resources and manpower at district hospitals and medical colleges. He said patients should be able to access essential cancer treatment closer to their homes.During the meeting, officials discussed the requirements for radiation therapy, including modern linear accelerator (LINAC) machines and trained personnel such as radiation specialists, technicians and radio physicists. The shortage of radio physicists emerged as one of the key challenges.The proposed radiation centres have been divided into two groups. The first group comprises Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Dumka, while the second includes Ranchi, Hazaribag and Palamu. Officials also discussed the procurement of machines and deployment of technical manpower through the PPP model.The department is likely to establish a control and command centre at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) for centralised monitoring of cancer daycare centres. Expansion of PET scan facilities in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad under the PPP model was also discussed.A committee headed by Shashi Prakash Singh, additional secretary-cum-executive director of Jharkhand State Aarogya Society, will oversee the implementation. Its responsibilities will include preparing proposals, assessing resources, overseeing the tendering process and finalising operational arrangements.
