HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd. (HCG), south Asia's largest cancer care network, has launched the 'Sarva Cancer Chikitsa Yojana' with an agenda to conquer the disease by making early diagnosis an important tool and taking advanced modern cancer care treatment modalities through its extensive network of 17 centres across India.

Realizing the magnitude of the fight, HCG is willing to explore the public private partnership (PPP) model both at the State and National level. The oncology major is talking to various State Governments and also non-Government organisations to make cancer treatment accessible to all segments of the society. Further HCG, which has implemented innovative financing options for cancer care on a trial basis, is all set to launch it on a national scale.

The cancer major is looking at various options to expand its network to 40 centres within the next three years with presence in four overseas locations. On its radar are greenfield projects / merger & acquisition / franchisee model that would enable it to penetrate into tier-II and tier-III towns. It has earmarked Rs 400 crore for its expansion plans including Rs 50 crore overseas investments.

"As an oncology leader in south Asia we are committed to take the fight to its logical end in the region. War against cancer is the need of the hour as this disorder is threatening to become the number one killer by 2012. More people are dying of cancer than TB, diabetes, malaria, combined. At present we don't have a strategy to face this challenge as a nation. The problem is only going to exacerbate, more so with over a billion populations and changing lifestyles. 'Sarva Cancer Chikitsa Yojana' is a response to this threat," said Dr B S Ajai Kumar, chairman & CEO, HCG.

"We believe that an integrated approach, starting with early as well as proper diagnosis; staging; appropriate treatment leveraging the best technology; strategic alliances for cancer drug /vaccine development and basic/stem cell/translational research, would pave way for managing cancer in a personalised way for a better outcome and achieving our goal of 'living with cancer' a reality," Dr Kumar informed

He continued, "This strategy would be supported by our hub & spoke model that would ensure that affordable cancer treatment reaches out to masses in their neighbourhood, more so because cancer requires a prolonged treatment over many months or even years. Our Centres of Excellence in each region would serve as the nodal point, while the HCG Tumour Board consisting of specialists drawn from HCG's network provides deep insight into treatment protocols on a case-to-case basis with telemedicine playing a key role. Our pan-India telemedicine centres will expand further to Bangladesh, Africa and Sri Lanka. This would be supported by our pioneering telephysics and tele-imaging facilities."

Its CyberKnife the world's first and only whole body non-invasive robotic radio-surgery system which was installed early this year was dedicated to the nation by the former President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. Also present on the occasion were Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, State Medical Education minister Ramachandra Gowda and Energy Minister, K S Eshwarappa.