Mumbai based Asian Cancer Institute (ACI) launched its first state-of-the-art smart cancer care centre on February 4, 2017 which will not only provide regular chemotherapy sessions but also evaluate patients for treatments, tests and diagnosis.

The dedicated daycare centre for chemotherapy and cancer care at Borivali will conduct outreach program with customised facilities closer to home.

In any type of cancer approximately 50 per cent patients need chemotherapy at least once in their lifetime. Regular Chemotherapy for a general patient lasts at least for 6 sessions. For each of this chemotherapy, the patient has to travel all the way to hospitals. Accessibility to quality cancer care is a challenge in our country and smart cancer centres intend to address the same.

During the launch of ACI daycare centre, Dr Ramakant Deshpande, oncosurgeon and vice chairman of Asian Cancer Institute said, “This is 1st smart centre in the city for cancer care near. We are planning few more such centres at phase 1. These centres will house 6-10 bed chemotherapy along with blood transfusion, hydration therapy, wound management for post-operative patient, diagnosis and all day care procedure at this centre.”

He added, “With the launch of this centre we will be starting a telemedicine facility wherein the patient with the assistant doctor in the daycare can interact with the consultant through video call and understand the problems to provide proper treatment reducing the need to visit the hospital at Sion.

“This centre will help provide treatment to all those components of cancer that does not include admitting the patients including symptom management. All patients, existing and new can approach this centre”, said Dr Sanjay Sharma, oncosurgeon and director of ACI.

ACI will continue to provide seamless standardized quality of care across all its centres at an affordable cost”, concluded Rahul Datta, chief operating officer, ACI. ACI formerly known as Asian Institute of Oncology – a dream project of leading oncology consultants of the country was conceptualised and came into existence in 2002 at the Wellspring Clinic Piramal Complex, Parel as a day care centre.

The project was then shifted to S L Raheja Hospital, Mumbai in October 2002 with addition of in-patient with surgical facilities and subsequently to Somaiya Ayurvihar, Sion, Mumbai in 2013 with expansion of facilities to its current level and size in collaboration with the Somaiya Medical College.

The institute is also extending its expertise in comprehensive cancer care across the country whereby each center will be supported by the local cancer specialists whose expertise will be reinforced by professional help from the Mumbai Center. The quality services provided at all the centers are at affordable cost.

In the eastern part of the country ACI in collaboration with the well reputed AMRI hospitals limited formed AMRI-ACI in Bhubaneshwar for providing quality cancer care as per the standards that prevail at par with ACI, Mumbai. Through this collaboration, a new synergy will be created in medical students of Orissa through their exposure to the best interventions in cancer care.