The Department of Atomic Energy has opened a day-care cancer facility at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the centre, which is being developed with technical support from Tata Memorial Centre (TMC). The facility is part of a broader national effort to expand cancer treatment services beyond major cities.
What the Vidisha facility will offer
The day-care cancer facility marks the first phase of a planned expansion at Vidisha Medical College. Tata Memorial Centre has provided a structured action plan covering multiple areas of cancer care.
- Two doctors from the Medicine Department and seven nursing officers have already completed oncology training at ACTREC, Mumbai. Surgical staff training is scheduled to begin shortly.
- A radiotherapy facility with a Linear Accelerator (LINAC) is expected to be constructed and commissioned within two to three years by the Madhya Pradesh government.
- Pathology personnel will receive specialised training in immunohistochemistry and molecular diagnostics at TMC, Mumbai.
- The college will establish both a Population-Based Cancer Registry and a Hospital-Based Cancer Registry to track cancer cases and outcomes locally.
- A centre of excellence for cancer prevention and early detection will be developed, with trained healthcare workers.
- Palliative care services will be developed, with staff receiving structured training in palliative medicine.
During a cancer screening camp in June 2026, specialists from Tata Memorial Centre identified 586 cancer patients and 254 suspected cases in Vidisha, with arrangements made for appropriate treatment and referral.
Why this matters
India is projected to see approximately two million new cancer cases annually by 2030, according to Dr Singh. Expanding cancer-care facilities beyond metropolitan centres will allow patients to access quality treatment closer to home, reducing the burden of long-distance travel for diagnosis and treatment. Tata Memorial Centre currently operates 11 hospital units across seven states. The National Cancer Grid connects over 380 cancer centres, research organisations and professional bodies to support quality improvement and training across the country.