Maha to include immunotherapy for cancer patients in MPJAY

Mumbai: The state health department will soon open 27 more ambulatory cancer centres and include cutting-edge cancer treatment options, such as immunotherapy, and diagnostic options, such as PET scans, in its Mahatma Pule Jan Arogya Yojana.

This announcement was made by state health minister Prakash Abitkar at a high-level meeting held at the health services office in the city. He said nine cancer day care or ambulatory centres are already operational in the state and 27 would be added soon.

Abitkar stated that coordination between the govt and private sectors would play a crucial role in the fight against diseases such as cancer. As the number of cancer patients in the state has been continuously increasing, there is a need to expand treatment facilities.

“For cancer screening, one cancer diagnostic van is being used in each of the eight circles of the state, and over three crore citizens have been screened so far,” he said. Also, diagnostic and treatment services are provided with the help of expert oncologists through the Maharashtra Cancer Warriors initiative.

At the meeting, a South Korean institute made a presentation on “liquid biopsy” technology for early diagnosis of all types of cancer.